A Thing for Heroes
by Fonique2
Summary: Just a tale of a girl with a guilty pleasure for heroes and their life-saving tendencies. And a tale of a boy who doesn't know he's exactly one of those.
1. Ambiguity

**01\. Ambiguity**

Eliza Adwell, having stored her heavy trunk with great difficulty in the overhead racks, settled down into the empty seat by the window. The cabin was thus far empty, as families were still crowded together on the platform, bidding each other farewell. Eliza had been eager to leave her mother behind, anxious she would be unable to find an available seat upon The Hogwarts Express if she lingered too long.

Now aboard, the anxiety began to ebb away. In its place, it left behind a strange gnawing feeling in Eliza's heart. Frowning, the small girl scooted forward in her bucket seat to peer out the large window to her left. Her large, copper-colored eyes searched the crowd on the platform, looking for her mother.

She found her with surprisingly little difficulty considering the dense crowd and the clouds of pearly white smoke weaving in and out of the bodies. Her mother had already found her and was gazing up at her fondly, a hand placed delicately over her heart. Smiling, Eliza waved wildly to her mother before settling back in her seat.

It felt a little strange to be leaving home, but Eliza was excited. She had grown up hearing stories of Hogwarts from her mother; of the changing staircases and the enchanted ceiling and the giant squid. It was a world in which magic was allowed to flourish, instead of being repressed as it had been in her home for so many years.

Eliza reached into the pocket of her jacket and withdrew her wand. She had just purchased it from Ollivander's the other week and it still gleamed as though brand new, despite how often Eliza pulled it out to gaze at it.

It was the fourth wand Eliza had tried that afternoon. Each wand had pressed into her hand had felt warm to the touch and fit perfectly in her palm. She was aghast each time they were ripped from her grasp, thinking for sure that 'this has to be the wand'. It was himself that told her: "the wand chooses the witch", and each wand she tried hummed in her palm as though content she had picked it up.

But finally, Ollivander handed Eliza a thin-looking wand. Willow, containing a single unicorn hair, 12 and 3/4 inches in length and slightly unyielding in nature. As soon as Eliza's skin made contact with the wood, a bright light erupted from the end of the wand and a sharp whistling sound echoed in her ears. This was apparently what Ollivander had been looking for because he immediately packed up the wand, told her she was destined for great things and to never doubt herself, and sent her on her way.

Eliza wasn't sure about all of that, but she was fond of her wand. She thought it was beautiful, with its light hue and a spiral pattern carved along the handle. She hoped it would be just as powerful as it was lovely.

Eliza was stowing her wand back into her pocket when the compartment door slid open. She glanced up in time to see a slender boy step into the compartment and was embarrassed when she didn't glance away by the time his silvery eyes slid over her face.

Flustered, Eliza turned her attention away as the boy closed the door behind him and stowed his glossy green trunk beside her black one. The initials R.A.B. were inscribed in cursive on the front of the trunk.

The train blew its warning whistle and Eliza and R.A.B. glanced out the window to watch loved ones exchange fleeting hugs before children darted away. Eliza caught the eyes of her mother again and waved. Her mother waved in response, trying to hide a watery smile.

Eliza was too excited to be sad as the train gave its final warning. She continued to wave excitedly as the train lurched forward and then they were going...going...and they were off, out of the station and quickly out of London into the green country hills of England.

It was silent as the countryside whipped by outside the window. Shyly, Eliza glanced over to study her companion. He sat rigid, his hands clasped in his lap as he peered out the window. His skin was very pale, as though he'd spent very little time in the sun this summer. Or perhaps it was just more pronounced due to his black hair. He was nice looking, Eliza decided, suppressing a giggle, eyes sweeping over his high cheek bones.

"Hi, I'm Eliza," the girl introduced, deciding they might as well be friendly if they'd be sharing a cabin together. She leaned forward to offer her hand, causing her long, golden ringlets to tumble over her shoulders.

The boy across from her glanced at her for a long moment before finally taking her hand and giving it a single, strong shake. "Regulus Black."

Eliza smiled warmly, sitting back in her seat. "Pleasure to meet you. This is my first year at Hogwarts."

Regulus nodded his head. "Mine as well."

"Do you know what House you'll be in?"

Eliza had, of course, been educated on the four Hogwarts houses: Gryffindor for the brave and daring, Hufflepuff for the hardworking and loyal, Ravenclaw for the intelligent and wise, and Slytherin for the ambitious and cunning. Penelope Fawcett, Eliza's mother, had been in Ravenclaw during her time at Hogwarts. Eliza wondered if she shared the same path.

"My entire family has been in Slytherin," Regulus replied, straightening himself even further, although Eliza wasn't sure that could have been possible. She noticed the subtle way his chin lifted into the air slightly. But then Regulus' demeanor changed and he practically snarled, his lip curling and his nose wrinkling in disgust. "Except for my brother."

Eliza blinked, taken aback by the sudden tension filling the seemingly shrinking compartment. "What House is he in?"

"Gryffindor," Regulus said, sounding as though the very word was a foul, rotting thing placed in front of him.

Eliza's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She found it a little odd that someone would have so much resentment over a House. Was it because his whole family was in Slytherin? Did all Slytherins hate Gryffindor? Eliza thought she might have vaguely heard of a Gryffindor/Slytherin rivalry from her mother. Her mother mostly spoke of Ravenclaw so Eliza wouldn't know much about it.

What she did know about Slytherin is that they were known to produce the majority of dark wizards. But as Eliza examined the boy in front of her, disgruntled but almost in a pouty sense, she didn't feel as though she was in the presence of a dark wizard. In fact, she thought he looked rather nice looking with his smooth pale skin, dark hair, piercing eyes.

The thought made Eliza blush and she squirmed in her seat. To distract herself from the idea that boys could be cute, she moved the conversation forward. It was not particularly easy, as Regulus did not seem like he wanted to be engaged in conversation, but Eliza pushed anyway, hoping to make the best of her first trip aboard The Hogwarts Express.

When the snack trolley rolled around, pushed by an elderly witch, Eliza bought herself a chocolate frog and two pumpkin pasties, one for her and one for Regulus. Regulus seemed taken aback when she offered him the treat but after a moment, gave her a smile and accepted the snack. The smile changed his face from stoic and regal, completely lighting up his face. Eliza grinned. She would have bought the boy everything from the witch's cart to see him smile like that again. Not that she could pinpoint why she cared so much whether Regulus Black smiled or not, but it gave her a warm feeling to know that she had been able to produce it.

After this, Regulus seemed much more willing to talk to Eliza. They talked about all sorts of things. They showed each other their wands. Regulus said that his didn't produce a bright flash of light like Eliza's did, rather several red sparks had shot from the tip of his when he gave it a wave.

Regulus shared several spells that he already knew and Eliza listened intently, hoping to learn as much as she could. Anxiety began to bubble in her stomach, wondering if she was going to be behind at school if Regulus already knew so much. Although she tried to reason with herself, that muggle borns knew even less than her. Even if she didn't know any spells, she was at least accustomed to magic, even if her mother didn't exactly use it freely. And after all, Eliza knew of some spells, even if she'd never been able to practice.

Eliza asked Regulus if he had read any of the school books required for their first year. He said that he had done some reading from their book list, but that had spent most of his summer doing other reading. He shared a few of the titles he had read with Eliza. She was very interested to hear about a book on advanced potions that he had read, even if it, once again, made her feel extremely unprepared.

"And here I thought I'd be ahead having read through A History of Magic," Eliza finally admitted, frowning at her companion.

Regulus waved his hand airily, sitting back in his seat, somehow looking both relaxed and intimidating simultaneously. "I wouldn't worry. Most students will be equally unprepared."

The words were insulting but Eliza could tell from his tone that he was not trying to hurt her feelings. Not that he was successful in that endeavor. Still, Eliza found herself strangely in awe of this strange boy who had chosen to share her compartment. He seemed so other-wordly, not that she would tell him this of course. It was really a wonder he could fit his ego through the door as it was. Still, Eliza hoped they would be friends at Hogwarts. If someone had asked her, she wouldn't have been able to tell them why. Perhaps the ambiguity of it all was reason enough.

Eliza and Regulus spent the rest of the train ride making light conversation, discussing what their favorite subjects might be and what they might learn, or sitting in comfortable silence. Regulus even brought out his wizard's chess set and taught Eliza how to play, as she never had before.

As the Hogwart's Express neared its destination, Eliza and Regulus changed into their robes and awaited their first glimpse of Hogsmead.

—

Eliza's first glimpse of Hogwarts rendered her speechless. She'd never witnessed such beauty, certainly not in her home city of Manchester. The castle was larger than life, even from the distance of the train station; the lights twinkling so brilliantly she could mistake them for stars.

"It's beautiful," Eliza whispered, so consumed in awe she was she almost caused a pileup from stopping in the doorway.

"First years! First years this way!" came a booming voice.

Eliza's gaze jerked in the direction of the voice and immediately found it's owner, for he stood twice as tall as the average man. Although it had darkened outside, the man held a lantern larger than Eliza's head in front of his face, illuminating a pair of black, beady eyes surrounded by a mass of bushy, brown hair. Equally wild hair grew to his shoulders.

'He must be half giant or something!' Eliza marveled to herself as she moved towards the man. Regulus followed beside her. A small mass of students detached from those departing the train and also moved towards the large man.

Once the older students had moved away from the platform and no more students joined the group of first years, the large man turned and moved towards a lake just a little ways away. The first years hurried to keep up with the man's naturally large steps. He brought them to the edge of the river and instructed them to climb into wooden boats waiting for them.

Eliza and Regulus clambered into a boat, making it rock slightly as they sat down on wooden benches inside. Two other students climbed in afterwards; a girl with a mass of corkscrew, fiery red hair and a small boy nervously watching the dark waters of the lake.

Once everyone was seated, the boats began to move on their own accord across the lake towards the castle. Eliza couldn't help but stare, jaw open as they neared and the castle grew larger and larger. At one point she muttered: "wow" under her breath and she could swear she heard Regulus chuckle.

Eliza glanced at Regulus, but his face portrayed nothing. He stared up at Hogwarts silently, the lights from its windows reflecting in his eyes. Eliza wondered, not for the first time, why he was so quiet and composed all of the time.

The boats eventually bumped up against the shore and the first years climbed out of the boats. The air was beginning to get chilly as they hurried up the great stone stairs the led up to the enormous front doors of the castle. The large man rapped on the door twice and they opened immediately, revealing a rather stern looking woman in green robes, her hair tied in a tight bun on the top of her head.

"Here they are, Professor McGonagall," said the large man.

"Thank you, Hagrid," the woman nodded curtly, taking a glance at the first years crowded on the steps.

Professor McGonagall opened the doors wide and the students filed into the entrance way. Eliza's breath was taken away by the vastness of the room. Suits of armor stood in the corners, reflecting the flickering torches stationed around the room.

McGonagall lead them past these and into a room off the side of the entrance hall. It was a fairly small room, at least compared to the entrance hall and the first years found themselves standing very close to each other. McGonagall turned to face the new students.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. Before the feast begins, you will enter through these doors and be sorted into your Houses," McGonagall gestured to a door on the right side of the room. "While you are here, your House will be your family. Together, you will earn points for your triumphs. Should you stray from the rules, you will lose your House points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points will be awarded the House Cup. The Sorting Ceremony will begin momentarily. I will come back for you when we are ready to begin."

McGonagall swept out of the room, leaving the first years alone. Students began glancing nervously at each other. Regulus and Eliza, standing shoulder to shoulder, glanced to one another. Regulus face was blank, his lips set into a firm line. Eliza, her chest swirling with anxiety, flashed him a smile which came out as more of a grimace.

The students didn't wait long before McGonagall returned and ushered them through the door she had indicated earlier. One by one, the first years passed through the door and into the Great Hall. Eliza gasped yet again. She wondered if she would ever get used to the splendor of the castle as she gazed up at the thousands of candles floating above their heads. Past the candles was the night sky, bright with an almost full moon. Eliza knew this was really the ceiling, enchanted to reflect the sky.

Eliza and her fellow students trooped down a path created by two tables packed with students. They moved to the front of the room where the staff table sat, filled with teachers. In front of this table sat a single wooden stool. Atop the stool sat a very old, raggedy wizard's hat.

The entire hall was silent, all eyes on the hat. After a long moment, the brim of the hat split and a type of mouth appeared. And then, the hat began to sing.

_"Although you may not think it,_

_I've been almost everywhere._

_Name any place at all,_

_And I swear that I've been there._

_I've gained loads of knowledge,_

_Some you may not care to know._

_I have memories of happy,_

_And memories of woe._

_And although I may not be,_

_A sight for sore eyes;_

_If you put me on,_

_I can tell no lies!_

_I sort you into Houses,_

_Of where your attributes lie._

_For this important sorting,_

_I would pick no hat but I!_

_You could be placed in Gryffindor,_

_Where the brave of heart dwell._

_Here they show their chivalry,_

_Their daring and nerve well._

_Or maybe you're in Hufflepuff,_

_Polite and kind of soul._

_Don't let the badger fool you,_

_Don't mess around their hole!_

_Or maybe in Ravenclaw,_

_Is where you ought to be._

_Where your cunning and your wisdom,_

_Will help you successfully._

_Last but NOT least is Slytherin,_

_Full of cunning rivalry._

_You'll always have a challenge,_

_Be all you ought to be._

_So come on, try me on,_

_See where you ought to be._

_You'll never, ever find,_

_A truer hat than me!"_

The brim of the hat closed and the hall burst into applause. Professor McGonagall stepped forward, holding up a piece of parchment.

"When I call your name, please have a seat on the stool and I will place the hat on your head."

And so the sorting began. A tall boy will black hair was first and sorted into Slytherin. After a round of applause from the Slytherin table, McGonagall glanced down at her parchment and said, "Eliza Adwell."

A jolt suddenly shot through Eliza's body and anxiety once more exploded in her chest. This was perhaps the most important moment of her life. What if she didn't belong to any Houses?

_"There's nothing special about you!"_

Eliza felt a nudge on her shoulder and realized Regulus was nudging her forward. Numbly, Eliza found herself walking towards the stool. It felt a thousand miles away as she became acutely aware of all the eyes on her. Trying to block it out, Eliza reached the stool, turned to face the rest of the hall, and sat.

The hat slid over her eyes, blocking out the view of tables filled with students. Now all she saw was darkness and the only sound was the ringing silence of the Great Hall, interrupted here and there by a cough or an unintelligible whisper. But it didn't last long before a voice filled her head, blocking out any stray sounds from the hall. When it spoke, echoing in her head, Eliza jumped in surprise.

_Hmmm, there is a lot here. Dedication; lots of dedication. Persistence. A desire to do great things. Plenty of bravery. But there is doubt in your heart._

Eliza's heart sank. Was it true? Did she not belong?

_You think there's nothing special about you, child? Everyone has something that makes them special. Some have more than one. I challenge the doubt in your heart, child. I know just what to do with you. _

"Hufflepuff!" Came the hat's voice but it was no longer echoing in her head, but projecting across the room loud and clear.

There was an enormous uproar from the second table from the left as McGonagall lifted the hat from Eliza's head. The cheering caused an involuntary grin to spread across her face and Eliza hopped off of the stool, rushing over to the table. Relief was flooding her entire body and she felt light and carefree as she reached the Hufflepuff table. She chose the first open spot she could find, sliding onto the bench beside an older looking boy who smiled and shook her hand.

The clapping ended and the sorting continued. Five other students were sorted into Hufflepuff and found their seats near Eliza at the table. A girl with extremely curly red hair and a mass of freckles dotting her nose slid into the empty spot to Eliza's right. Eliza recognized her from the boat. Regulus went to Slytherin with a strange expression of satisfaction and relief.

Once all the first years had been sorted, Professor McGonagall removed the Sorting Hat and the stool from the hall. Albus Dumbledore rose to his feet, gaining everyone's attention. He smiled, spreading his arms as to address the entire hall.

"May I welcome you all! Let us eat!"

And while Dumbledore retook his seat, the table suddenly filled with golden plates and bowls piled with food. Eliza gaped; she'd never seen so much food in her life!

"I'm Emlyn Gallagher," said the curly haired girl with a thick accent, turning to Eliza as the students around them began to fill their plates.

"Eliza Adwell," Eliza replied with a smile.

"Charmed," Emlyn replied with a smile that seemed to naturally have a very smirky quality to it before reaching across the table for a bowl of mashed potatoes and loading her plate.

Eliza smiled as well, despite the fact that Emlyn was not looking, and reached for a sweet potato. The other four new Hufflepuffs introduced themselves between mouthfuls of food. Parker McKinnon was a very thin boy with sandy blonde hair and very brilliant jade-colored eyes. Arthur Baker had golden blonde hair and explained that he was a muggleborn and was still reeling over food magically appearing at the table through dessert. Jack Howell, a very haughty-looking boy thought this was very funny, explaining how his family had deep ties in the Ministry. Margaret Loris, who took a very long time to be sorted, seemed extremely impressed with this and questioned Jack all through dinner. She seemed very nice, insisting that all the first years call her 'Midge'. Interestingly, she was muggleborn but her aunt was a witch who wrote for the Daily Prophet.

By the time Eliza had eaten her fill, she was beginning to feel very sleepy. It had been a long day after all. The most exciting day of her life though, Eliza decided, letting her ears fill with the chatting of those around her. Her eyes moved to the far side of the room where the Slytherin table was. Her eyes scanned the mass of students and spotted Regulus sitting in the middle of the table, surrounded by older students. He, too, was sitting quietly, seemingly listening to his classmates chat around him.

Suddenly, the chatter died and Eliza glanced around to see everyone's attention had turned to the staff table at the front of the room. Dumbledore was on his feet, peering around as everyone looked on expectantly.

"Now that we've all been fed, there are a few announcements I want to make. First years should note that the Forbidden Forest is off limits to all students. has asked me to remind you all that magic is forbidden in the corridors and that new items have been added to the prohibited list found on 's office door. Quidditch trials will begin in the next few weeks. Those interested should contact Madam Hooch or watch for trial postings in their Common Room. And now, your comfy beds await you. Pip, pip!"

And with that, noise broke out as people clambered to their feet and chattering once again started up. As Eliza and Emyln slid out of their seats, a loud voice called out over the mass of heads.

"First years! First years; over here please!"

The first years followed the voice to a very tall girl, her blonde hair tied back in a bun. As the new students neared, her eyes scanned over them, as though counting. She then nodded to herself, made a gesture with her head, and followed the rest of the students streaming out of the Great Hall.

Eliza watched the other students move off in various directions while she stuck close to Emyln. Older students filed past the first years, hurrying off to their beds. The Hufflepuffs took a right at the marble staircase and entered through a door. Down a flight of stone steps they descended into a broad corridor brightly lit with torches. The stone walls down here were covered with brightly painted portraits of food. The first years and prefect filed past all of these. Shortly after passing a large portrait of a silver bowl filled with fruit, the students came to a stop in front of a stony recess. Eliza might have missed it, so shrouded in shadow it was.

The recess was filled with large barrels larger than Eliza's body. They were stacked to the ceiling, some upright, some on their side. Three barrels were stacked vertically and diagonally. The prefect, who identified herself as Elizabeth ("NOT Lizzy or Liz and certainly not Beth!"), took her wand from the pocket of her robes and turned to the group of first years.

"Now pay attention," she said, eyes sweeping the group. "These barrels have to be tapped in a specific order if you want to gain entrance. They need to be tapped to the rhythm of 'Helga Hufflepuff', which most of you probably don't know. We'll teach you; but watch me for now."

Elizabeth turned her back on the group and tapped the barrels in a sequence. When she finished, the lid of the second barrel from the bottom and the middle of the second row, which was turned on its side, popped open. Elizabeth climbed in and the first years followed.

Within the barrel was a dirt passageway. Weeds and flowers dotted the path, somehow remaining undamaged even when stepped on. A pleasant, earthy smell permeated the passage.

The path sloped upwards and after a moment, the Hufflepuffs were entering a rotund room. Despite it being nighttime, the common room was filled with a pleasant glow. Across from the entrance was a fireplace filled with a crackling fire. Above the mantelpiece was a large, framed portrait of a woman that Eliza recognized from her textbook as Helga Hufflepuff.

Small, round windows were embedded in the walls around the room, close to the ceiling. Through the panes Eliza could see they were at ground level and could see the tall grass outside tickling the glass. Shelves lined the walls, covered in potted plants and cacti that waved as the students entered the room. All the furniture was made of shiny, honey-colored wood, reflecting the glow of the lit room. The Hufflepuff colors of black and yellow filled the room.

Eliza smiled as she and the other first years admired the room. It had an extremely cozy feel to it and Eliza felt immediately at home.

"Those doors over there lead to the boys' and girls' dormitories," Elizabeth said, pointing to two doors on opposite sides of the room respectively. Fitting to the rest of the room, they were large, round, wooden doors made of the same polished wood that decorated the rest of the room. "Class schedules will be handed out tomorrow morning at breakfast so make sure you get there with plenty of time."

The first years bid each other goodnight. The boys headed for the door to the right of the room and the girls followed Elizabeth to the left. Elizabeth bid the girls a curt goodnight and disappeared through another door. Eliza, Emyln and Midge went through the door labeled 'first years'.

This room was decorated similar to the common room with the same wood tables, dressing tables with large, round mirrors, and wardrobes. The beds were also made of wood, large and covered with patchwork quilts. Their trunks were already placed at the ends of the beds. Soft glowing lamps sat on nightstands beside each bed.

"Well this is quaint," Emyln remarked, wandering over to her bed and flopping down.

Eliza wandered to her bed, testing it out as well. It was extremely soft and she couldn't wait to bury herself in the sheets.

"My mother was in Gryffindor when she was here," Emlyn remarked as Midge opened her trunk, rummaging for pajamas.

"My mum was in Ravenclaw," Eliza said, getting up to retrieve her pajamas as well.

The girls chatted pleasantly as they changed and Midge set to putting her clothes away in the wardrobe. Eliza, whose eyes were feeling heavy, decided she would save that chore for tomorrow. Switching off her lamp, Eliza climbed into bed and fell asleep nearly instantly.

—

Eliza and Emyln headed down to the Great Hall bright and early the next morning. Midge told them to go on without her, as it took her extra time to brush out her long, black hair. As Eliza was finishing up her toast, a short, plump, kindly witch wearing a long hat wandered over to her, Emyln and Parker, who was sitting across from them at the table.

The witch introduced herself as Professor Sprout, head of Hufflepuff House. She pulled out three pieces of parchment and tapped each with her wand before handing them to the first years.

"Our schedules," Emyln said, glancing down at hers. Parker and Eliza looked to theirs as well.

_Transfiguration (Hufflepuff & Gryffindor)_

_Charms (Hufflepuff & Ravenclaw)_

_Defense Against the Dark Arts (Hufflepuff & Slytherin)_

_Potions (Hufflepuff & Slytherin)_

_Herbology (Hufflepuff & Gryffindor)_

_History of Magic (Hufflepuff & Ravenclaw)_

_Astronomy (Hufflepuff & Ravenclaw)_

The classes were written in columns, indicating the dates and times of each class.

"Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology and History of Magic today," said Parker with a mouth full of toast.

Eliza was very much looking forward to Transfiguration. Of all she had read and heard of the subject, it seemed most interesting to her, aside from Potions, which Eliza was itching to begin.

Midge joined Eliza, Emyln and Parker with just enough time to pour herself a glass of orange juice. Her schedule was already clutched in her hand. The original trio finished the last bits of their breakfast and, accompanied by Midge, began their navigation to the Transfiguration classroom.

Their professor was Professor McGonagall. She was just as stern as she appeared, but Eliza couldn't help but absorb the information. Emyln seemed bored when they spent most of the class period learning about theories and wand movement. They were not given a specific spell to learn, rather Professor McGonagall insisted on having them practice exact wand movements.

"Transfiguration requires firm wand movements and hand control. There is no room for unnecessary wand flourishing in this branch of magic," Professor McGonagall had said.

And so towards the end of their first class, McGonagall had the first years practice controlling their wand movements. It was a good thing too. Many students were flicking their wands around and waving them unnecessarily. Neither Emyln nor Eliza had difficulty but Parker seemed to be having particular difficulty with making a jabbing motion without sending sparks flying out of his wand. Eliza attempted to help him change his hand positioning, which was only slightly off, but Parker was so flustered with needing help that Professor McGonagall eventually had to stride over to offer her assistance.

The rest of the day went equally well for Eliza. Although truth be told, after half an hour, it became increasingly difficult to pay attention in History of Magic. It didn't help that Jack and a Gryffindor student seemed to be having a competition over whose paper airplane could fly the furthest. Still, Eliza got the gist of the lecture and hoped her textbook would fill in any details she had missed.

"Are you headed down to dinner?" Emlyn asked as the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors filed out of Professor Binn's classroom.

Eliza shifted the weight of her backpack. "I'm just going to nip up to the owlery. I want to send a letter off to my mum quick."

"Don't take too long!" Emyln said before joining Arthur and Parker on their way to the Great Hall.

Eliza took off in the opposite direction. She had asked Elizabeth this morning how to get to the owlery in hopes of not getting lost. She only took a wrong turn once and was able to back track, eventually finding the stairs to the owlery.

Eliza summoned down a school owl and was fastening her letter to its leg when she heard someone else entering. Glancing over her shoulder, Eliza grinned seeing that the new arrival was Regulus Black.

"Regulus!" She greeted, startling the boy who appeared to have been watching his feet and had not yet noticed Eliza.

"Oh, hi," he said rather awkwardly for someone who had been so confident on the train. He moved further into the room, also selecting an owl for a rolled piece of parchment grasped in his hand.

"How was your first day?" Eliza asked, moving towards the nearest window and releasing the owl into the sky.

Regulus shrugged, tying his scroll to his owl's leg. "Nothing exciting."

"Are you writing to your mum?" Eliza asked, nodding to the owl Regulus was releasing into the sky.

Regulus nodded. "She'll be pleased to hear I was sorted into Slytherin. Not that there was any doubt, of course. But then…with Sirius…"

Regulus trailed off, staring off into the darkening sky. Eliza frowned. She wanted to know more about Regulus' brother, as he clearly seemed to bother him, but knew that it was not her place.

"I'm sure your mum will be pleased," she said instead.

Regulus glanced at Eliza and his face was momentarily filled with such a vast array of emotions that it took Eliza aback. But before she could decipher any of them, Regulus' face changed in an instant. It was now as blank as ever and for a moment, Eliza wondered if she had imagined the conflict that raged in the boy's silver eyes.

"She'll have expected no less," Regulus said dismissively, waving a hand.

Eliza frowned, but nodded. Once again she felt strangely drawn to this boy. He was like a puzzle she desperately wanted to solve.

"It appears we have Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts together tomorrow," Regulus said conversationally, moving towards the door to the owlery. "I suppose I'll see you there."

"Y-yeah," Eliza shook her head, trying to stay in the present conversation.

Regulus waved lazily and then he was gone, leaving Eliza with her swirling thoughts. Such a quiet, reserved boy and yet, Eliza craved to know him, to unravel him like a mystery. And so, as Eliza made her way to the exit, she resigned to do just do that; starting first thing tomorrow.

**Author's Note:**

**Welcome to my new story! I have been working on this story for more than a year. I wanted to have the majority of it written before I posted so it would not wind up in the ever growing wasteland of unfinished stories. (FYI for my other story followers: I SWEAR by the old gods and the new thatI've not forgotten them and plan to continue them at some point). But I am so anxious to know what you readers think!**

**I have done intense research on this story. Eliza's House and wand vary from my own so I spent a lot of time making sure her experience was accurate for our Hufflepuff friends. I've spent hours pouring over geneology, names, timelines to ensure this story is as canon as humanly possible.**

**Speaking of, let's shout out to our main J.K. Rowling who so graciously lends me her world.**

**So please let me know what you think! Reviews are love sprinkled with stardust.**


	2. Of Hufflepuffs and Slytherins

**02**.** Of Hufflepuffs and Slytherins**

Finding their classes was easier the following day. Arthur's older brother, who was also in Hufflepuff, had been kind enough to show him the castle the previous day and the new Hufflepuffs followed Arthur to their classes. Their first class of the day was Defense Against the Dark Arts. When they reached the classroom, they were greeted by a handful of Slytherins waiting inside the corridor outside of the classroom.

Eliza moved away from her group and slid up next to Regulus who was leaning against the wall.

"Good morning," she smiled, removing the pack from her back so she could lean up against the wall beside Regulus.

"Morning," he greeted, glancing over to her.

"I'm sure you're well prepared for today," Eliza said, remembering how Regulus had had much to say about spells on The Hogwarts Express.

"I'm not worried," he nodded.

"Are you ever worried about anything?" Eliza raised an eyebrow.

Regulus' eyes rolled upwards and to the right, as though debating this. Finally, he shook his head.

Eliza envied Regulus' confidence. It was not a strong suit of hers. Eliza worried about many things. Would she be terrible at magic? Fail? She could hear the words, so familiar to her, echoing in her head._ "There's nothing special about __**you**__!"_

Eliza swallowed hard against her throat and her foot tapped anxiously against the stone floor. This did not go unnoticed by Regulus, whose eyes followed Eliza's sudden frown to her crossed arms, to her twitching leg, to her tapping foot. But he said nothing.

A moment later, a man appeared in the doorway of the classroom. He was tall and thin, garbed in royal blue robes. He had a friendly face and was smiling at the group of students waiting in the hall.

"Good morning students! Come in, come in!" He beckoned, stepping away from the doorframe and to the front of the class.

Eliza picked up her backpack and followed Regulus and the students siphoning into the classroom. Regulus chose a desk in the front of the room and Eliza joined him, sitting to his right. They both withdrew parchment, quills and ink from their packs and waited for the rest of the class to come in.

The nice thing about their Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Professor Qolivier, is that he took a practical approach to his class. Energetic and a bit eccentric, he paced around the classroom, telling stories of his travels and how defensive spells had helped him in surviving.

"Protego is a shield charm. A fairly noncomplex spell, but a vital asset in your arsenal. Now, let's pick up our wands and practice."

Professor Qolivier held up his own wand and stretched his arms out in front of him so the entire class could get a good view of his movements. The Protego charm was done with small, precise movements; more like stabbing movements than flourishing. In response, a translucent shield appeared.

"Now you try," Professor Qolivier urged, moving around the classroom and pairing students together. "I don't expect any of you to truly accomplish the spell with the time we have left. But I find results are much better with practicing than reading how to do this in your textbooks. Although I do expect you all to read the chapter in your textbooks by next class."

As students moved away from their seats and into open areas, the professor handed partners tennis balls, instructing one partner to throw the balls while the other attempted to protect themselves with a shield.

"Your results will be better if there is actually something coming at you!" Professor Qolivier said, smiling jovially.

Eliza paired with Regulus. Having been the one given the rubber balls, Regulus practiced his shields first. Eliza tossed the first ball at Regulus, who held his wand up in front of his face. Responding to instinct, he manually used his wand to deflect the ball.

Eliza giggled as the ball bounced away and small patches of pink flushed Regulus' cheeks. Holding himself taller and his wand out in front of him, he jerked his head at Eliza. "Give me another one."

Eliza obliged and threw another one at Regulus, aimed at his chest. This time Regulus waved his wand to attempt the charm. A wisp of translucent blue followed along the tip of his wand's movements, but no shield appeared. The ball hit his chest and bounced along the ground where Eliza scooped it up.

"Again," Regulus said, sounding frustrated.

Eliza threw another ball and Regulus tried again but to no avail. His face was filled with irritation as Eliza collected the balls.

"Switch partners," Professor Qolivier called over the practicing students. Eliza took a quick glance around and noticed that no one seemed to have done any better than Regulus.

Eliza deposited the balls in Regulus' arms and stood opposite of him, taking her wand from her cloak pocket. Her first attempt was much like Regulus'. Eliza frowned, watching the last bits of translucent wisp disappear. She tried to visualize it as a a large oval covering from her feet to the top of her head.

Regulus tossed another ball and Eliza waved her wand. A spark shot from her wand and the same blue wisp began to grow, Eliza was so surprised she broke her concentration and the forming wisp flickered and died. Half shocked and half elated, Eliza looked to Regulus. He was just as surprised as she was.

"How did you do that?" He asked.

But Eliza shook her head. "I don't know…I just pictured it in my mind and concentrated."

"Let's try again," Regulus encouraged, holding up a ball.

They did so and Eliza produced a translucent shield in front of her, concentrating with all her might. Although it was formed, the ball still managed to sail through it and bounced off her chest. Eliza frowned, feeling disappointed as the shield died.

"You did better than the rest of us," said Regulus with just a bit of aloofness, collecting the balls and handing them to Eliza. "So tell me…how did you do it again?"

Eliza explained how she had pictured the shield, shaping it in her mind and visualizing it as she casted. Regulus listened intently before raising his wand again, concentration etched onto his own face. Eliza tossed a ball and Regulus chanted "Protego". The shimmering wisp erupted from his wand, forming a rectangle in front of him and the ball hit it and bounced off, hitting the ground and rolling away.

"You did it!" Eliza squealed in excitement as Regulus waved his wand and the spell disappeared. He seemed surprised at first that his spell had actually worked but then he smiled, almost shyly.

Professor Qolivier called for the end of class when Eliza went to retrieve the ball. Eliza took the balls to the professor's desk and went to retrieve her backpack. Regulus was waiting for her.

"You'll get it right away next class period," Regulus said as Eliza put away her materials.

Eliza looked up to him and smiled. She couldn't help but think how nice it was for him to stay behind, to say those words. "Well…I guess I'll have to. I can't let you show me up."

Regulus smirked. "You'd better get used to that."

Eliza smirked back, swinging her backpack over her shoulder and walking with Regulus out of the classroom. "Whatever you have to tell yourself, Black."

Regulus quirked a small smile at Eliza, which she returned, and the two headed down to the dungeons for double Potions in comfortable silence.

—

Professor Slughorn was a delightful man with a large, blonde, bushy mustache, a stretching waistline, and a bounce in his step. He ushered his new students into his dank classroom and urged them to be seated and take out their books.

Regulus and Eliza found a table together, both eager for this particular class. Eliza had read through her potions textbook already over the summer. She found it a fascinating art that required a refined skill that the other branches of magic just didn't possess. It was a mix of science and magic and a bit of gut instinct.

Professor Slughorn was a showman, there was no doubt about that. His storytelling was a talent in itself. He knew exactly when to leave the sentence hanging or when to whisper the harsh effects of what could happen with ignorance and laziness. Eliza paid rapt attention, scribbling away on her parchment.

Finally, the class was instructed to open their textbooks and begin brewing Babbling Beverage. All in all, it was a simple potion which took quite a bit of time to stew. It had to be stirred at certain intervals and several ingredients had to be added at exactly the proper times.

"When do you think someone would actually use this potion?" Eliza asked, skimming through the pages of her book for the history of the potion.

Regulus shrugged. "I guess if you want to make someone look stupid."

"Why on earth would I want to do that?"

"People do stupid things all the time," Regulus replied, adding a dash of leech juice to the brew. Eliza peered over the cauldron to see the potion turn a delicate shade of tan.

Professor Slughorn wandered around the class and stopped at their potion. He smiled at the steam rising off of the potion. "Wonderful, you two! Well done!"

Eliza beamed in pride and a small smirk appeared on Regulus' lips. By the end of the class period, it was clear that Regulus and Eliza had brewed the best potion in the class. They corked a sample in a flask and Regulus brought it to Slughorn's desk while Eliza cleaned up their table.

"I guess we make a great team," Eliza smiled as Regulus returned and packed up his belongings.

Regulus looked to the blonde and said nothing for a long moment. But then he smiled and handed Eliza her backpack from the floor.

"I'lll see you later," Regulus said as they left the classroom and went separate ways. Eliza waved.

A moment later, someone appeared at her side.

"Do you know who that was you were talking to?" Jack asked.

"Of course; that's Regulus Black. We shared a compartment on the Hogwarts Express," Eliza said, eyeing Jack.

"Yeah, but do you know who he _is_?"

Eliza stared back blankly.

Jack rolled his eyes. "He's a Black. His family is part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight! He's from one of the most ancient pure-blooded families there is!"

"So?"

Jack shifted uncomfortably, frowning at Eliza. "Just be careful around him."

Eliza frowned as Jack turned to talk to Midge. Eliza vaguely remembered hearing something about the Sacred Twenty-Eight. And pure-blooded families. A lot of them had to do with a movement going on. Eliza didn't know much about it; she had only overheard snippets of a conversation her mother had been having with a witch from work a few months before the semester started. Something about a pure-blood movement and their distaste against muggles and muggleborns. There had been a bill up for vote at the Ministry or something of that nature. Eliza tried to remember anything else from the conversation but nothing came to mind. She hadn't cared much at the time but now Eliza wondered if she should have paid more attention.

But there were pure-bloods here at Hogwarts. Surely not all of them thoughts muggles were bad. And there were probably other wizards that thought they were that weren't pure-bloods. And Regulus didn't seem harmful in any way. A little proud maybe, confident, quiet, but surely he did not carry that kind of hatred along with him.

Eliza considered writing to her mother and asking for information, but quickly decided against it. Her mother would probably worry and there really was no reason to. Eliza wasn't worried about her classmate or her new friend. She could ask at a later date, maybe Christmas time when she returned home.

"Don't listen to him," said a voice, rousing Eliza from her thoughts.

"What?" Eliza started, turning her head to see that Parker McKinnon was now walking beside her.

"Jack," Parker nodded his head towards the boy walking in front of them. "He's being a little…stereotypical."

"Do you know much about it?"

Parker shrugged. "Well, my family knows a lot of pure-blood families and I haven't heard them say anything about their blood status to us. There's a bad seed in every bunch, you know?"

"That's true," Eliza replied thoughtfully, feeling a sense of relief. Of course there was bound to be some bad apples, but that didn't make it right to judge an entire group of people.

As if sensing the change in Eliza's mood, Parker engaged her in further conversation. "Are you headed straight to lunch?"

Eliza contemplated. "Yeah I think so. Then I'm going back to the Common Room to study before Astronomy."

"Excellent; mind if I join you? I need to get started on that Charm's essay."

—

After lunch, Parker and Eliza, chatting the whole way, made their way back to the Common Room. They chose a table in the corner of the room and set to work on their homework. They were joined shortly after by Midge, Arthur and Emlyn. Jack said that he wanted to explore the grounds and would meet up with them later.

Two hours later their essays lay half completed and the Hufflepuff first years were engaged in lively conversation.

"You're really going to sit there and tell me that the _Kestrels_ are going to win against _Puddlemere_!?" Parker exclaimed.

"Yes I am!" Emlyn fired back. "We _destroyed_ the Magpies in their last game!"

Parker laughed. "Well…that's because they're the Magpies!"

"Laugh all you want, McKinnon," Emlyn crossed her arms over her chest. "But we'll see who's laughing in the end."

"Well it won't be you," Parker said.

"What about you?" Emlyn turned to Eliza sharply.

"What?" Eliza asked, taken aback by her sudden introduction to the argument.

"Kestrels are headed for the next World Cup," Emlyn nodded, expecting Eliza to agree.

"O-Oh…I…well I don't really follow Quidditch…" she said lamely.

"You don't follow Quidditch!?" Both Parker and Emlyn exclaimed.

Eliza could feel her face growing hot and her foot began to tap nervously on the floor. "It's just…that is…Quidditch wasn't really a _thing_ at my house."

Emlyn looked appalled and Parker was watching her like she'd grown two heads.

"Don't worry, E," Arthur said, jumping to her rescue. "I don't know anything about Quidditch."

"Well you're muggleborn," Emlyn waved dismissively before addressing Eliza. "Well you're following Quidditch _now_."

"Oh…okay."

"And you'll be supporting the Kenmare Kestrels."

"Like hell!" Parker piped up. "She's going to follow _good_ Quidditch!"

And the two were at it again, arguing the stats of their favorite chasers. Eliza laughed at the both of them, wondering which team she was going to have to support to stay safe.

—

September flew by for the first years in a blur of classes, homework and dead end hallways. But by the time October rolled around, Eliza was feeling very much at home. The hallways were familiar and homey and the classes were growing more interesting.

October also brought changes in the weather. It was getting windier and there was a slight nip in the air most mornings. And so Eliza was wrapping a scarf around her neck as she descended from her dormitory when she noticed a group of students buzzing around the notice board in the common room.

Two older girls stepped away, talking excitedly. "Finally; Quidditch tryouts!"

Eliza noticed her fellow first years examining the board and joined them. "What's all the fuss about?"

Emlyn pointed excitedly to a piece of parchment pinned to the board. "We're starting flying lessons!"

"Oh." Eliza had never been on a broom before.

"It's about time!" Parker said as the group of Hufflepuffs moved away from the board and headed out of the Common Room. "I've been waiting to get some practice in!"

"Practice?" Emlyn said suspiciously. "You know first years don't even usually get to try out for the house team."

"I know," Parker said quickly. "But I've been itching to get back on a broom. I practiced all summer. I'm going to try out next year."

"What position?" Eliza asked.

Parker frowned thoughtfully. "Well I think I would make a good Keeper. And this is Rodger's last year."

"Ah bummer," Emlyn frowned. "I like having his face around."

"Em!" Eliza laughed, playfully swatting her friend on the shoulder.

"What about you, Em? You going to try out next year?" Parker asked.

"Nah, I'm rubbish on a broom. Wish I could play though," Emlyn sighed dramatically.

"I'm sure we can train you," Parker said.

"Just wait for flying lessons; you won't be saying that then."

—

But when Friday rolled around and the first years met in the courtyard, Emlyn was not nearly as bad as she had made herself sound. At least, Eliza thought as much. In all fairness, however, Eliza was strictly focused on not making herself look like a complete fool.

She did alright, considering she'd never been on a broom before. Such obvious displays of magic hadn't exactly been welcomed in her house. It took three commands of "Up!" For the broom to finally fly to her hand and she was able to kick up, hover and touch back down without incident. She noticed some people did all of this with ease and apparent boredom on their faces. Others, like Arthur, looked a little weary about flying around on a broom.

As the lesson ended and the students were told they'd start laps next week, Eliza spotted Regulus. Still clutching her broom, she made her way over to him.

"You seemed bored," Eliza smiled.

Regulus shrugged. "I've been flying since I was little. A little stupid, actually, to make us all take lessons."

"Well at least you get the chance to be on a broom again," Eliza said, remembering what Parker had said.

Regulus only shrugged. He looked about to reply when they were approached by a Slytherin boy with a pointed nose and mousy hair.

"Regulus, are you coming-" the boy noticed Eliza and assessed her with his eyes. He then wrinkled his nose, as though offended by an odor. He didn't look to Regulus, but addressed him. "A _Hufflepuff_?"

Eliza bristled but Regulus glared over to the boy. "Bugger off."

The Slytherin sniffed but walked away without further comment.

"Ignore him," Regulus said, this time to Eliza.

"What's his problem with Hufflepuffs?" Eliza glared after the boy who was meeting with the other Slytherins.

"I don't attempt to understand him; he's really dimwitted."

Eliza quirked a smile at this. "Well that explains why his face reminded me of a troll."

Regulus smiled back at her and told her that he'd see her later. He took her broomstick to put away for her and departed with his housemates. Eliza turned back to her own housemates to find Jack telling Arthur he should probably never be allowed near a broom while Midge clutched her hands to her face in an attempt to control the blood seeping through her fingers. Arthur was apologizing profusely and Emlyn was trying to tell everyone what they needed to do. Eliza sighed and hurried over to help.

**Author's Note:**

**Happy birthday, Harry!**


	3. The Slug Club

**03\. The Slug Club**

December brought with it howling winds and mounds of snow. It was a Saturday and many of the students were outside, pelting each other with snowballs. Eliza was holed up in the library with the older students with books spread open around several sheets of parchment, each covered with various notes.

"What are you doing here?" Regulus asked, sliding into the seat across from her. He was donned in a heavy cloak, a green and silver scarf tied around his neck.

"Working on the Transfiguration essay," Eliza replied, not looking up from her work.

"You're not finished?"

"Well McGonagall said my last essay lacked _depth_," Eliza said bitterly.

"Do you want to look at mine?" Regulus offered.

"No! That's cheating!"

Regulus shrugged, getting to his feet. "Suit yourself."

"Are you off to partake in the festivities?" Eliza asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Tommy McQuire bet Sam Couture that the giant squid couldn't break through the ice."

"So you're going out to antagonize the giant squid?"

"Not me. I'm just going to watch."

Eliza rolled her eyes and made a shooing motion with her hand. "Well I expect a full report at dinner."

Regulus mockingly bowed, assented, and took his leave.

Eliza was putting the finishing touches on her essay when Parker and Arthur came racing into the library, skidding to a halt at Eliza's table, gasping for air.

"Eliza! Come quickly!" Arthur gasped out, clutching at his side.

"What is it? What's happened?" Eliza asked, alarmed, immediately getting to her feet.

"It's Midge!" Parker said urgently.

Eliza crammed her papers into her backpack and, leaving the books where they lay, dashed out of the library after Arthur and Parker.

"What's happened?" Eliza asked Parker as the trio raced up the grand staircase, taking two steps at a time.

"It's Midge," Parker repeated, his gaze set determinedly ahead. "She's been attacked."

"Attacked!?"

Parker shook his head, indicating that he knew nothing further.

The Hufflepuffs hurried to the hospital wing, flying through the doors like a herd of angry centaurs. They beelined for a bed in the very back of the room. Midge was laying atop the very white sheets, her top half propped up by several pillows. Emlyn was sitting on the edge of the bed, holding Midge's hand in hers. Jack sat in a chair beside the bed, his naturally haughty expression replaced with concern.

"What happened?" Eliza asked for what felt like the hundredth time, settling herself on the side of the bed opposite Emlyn, taking Midge's other hand. Parker sat beside Eliza and Arthur hovered around the foot of the bed.

"I'm okay!" Midge exasperated weakly. She looked pale, and her hands were shaking ever so slightly. Eliza's eyes were immediately drawn to her neck, which was scarlet in color and swollen.

"You could have died!" Emlyn retorted angrily. Her sapphire-colored eyes were bright and flashing.

"Midge…what happened?" Parker asked kindly. His voice was light and calm and seemed to set all the Hufflepuffs at ease.

"I…I was just walking down the corridor…I was going outside. And then…my scarf just started pulling against my neck. Probably just some kid pulling a prank…"

"Midge!" Emlyn was aghast. "I was lucky I was following just a minute behind her! When I found her she was thrown against a wall, clawing at her neck. Her entire face was purple!"

Eliza was surprised to see Emlyn's eyes watering. But her face was stony, her lips pursed together in a frown.

"That doesn't sound like a prank, Midge," Arthur spoke up after a long moment of silence. "They could have killed you."

Midge suddenly looked very small, laying on the hospital bed. Her eyes were wide and her bottom lip quivered, but there were no tears. When she spoke, her voice was small. "Who would want to hurt me?"

Eliza leaned forward and wrapped her in a hug.

—

Eliza never made it down to the Great Hall for dinner. Instead, Arthur went down and fetched food for the six of them and they ate at Midge's bedside. Madam Pomfrey, the school Healer, initially took pity on the first years but sent them away an hour before curfew. Midge, who was physically fine besides for her aching neck and sore throat, was to stay the night as a formality.

Thus, the next morning, Eliza was approached by Regulus Black as she was shoveling down breakfast in record time as to go see Midge.

"You weren't at dinner last night," Regulus said by way of greeting. He plopped down on the bench next to Eliza and watched her expectantly.

"Wha-? Oh! Oh right! I'm sorry; I was…" but Eliza trailed off. Rumors spread like wildfire around Hogwarts and Eliza was surprised that she hadn't heard anything yet this morning about the attack on her classmate. Also, it was Midge's story to tell and something told Eliza that Midge probably wouldn't want people knowing about the attack.

This was Regulus, however, possibly her best mate next to Emlyn. And it certainly wasn't like him to gossip. He normally avoided casual conversation with most people.

Abandoning her french toast, Eliza got to her feet, grabbing Regulus' wrist and tugging it in encouragement. Regulus followed, his perfectly shaped eyebrow arched. Eliza tugged him down a side corridor, peering around her shoulder to make sure no one was standing near by.

She leaned in close to Regulus' ear, keeping her voice low. "Someone attacked Midge yesterday…she almost died."

Regulus was so surprised he forgot to look somber for a moment. His eyebrows disappeared behind his bangs as his eyes widened.

"Do they know who did it?" He asked, also keeping his voice down.

Eliza shook her head. "Midge has no idea. I think she's trying to play it off as a prank to avoid it. But if Emlyn hadn't shown up…who knows what would have happened."

"Is she okay?"

"Just shaken up; I don't think she really wants to think about it. But I'm worried…"

"That someone is trying to hurt her?"

Eliza nodded. "Or what if it's not about Midge? What if someone is just attacking people randomly? That's even worse!"

Regulus put his hands on Eliza's shoulders, trying to calm the building anxiety. "Calm down. This was just a one-time thing. It was bad!" Regulus assured, seeing the dark look flash across his friend's face. "But I don't think you have to worry unless it keeps happening to people."

Eliza frowned. "I guess you're right. Well, I'm going to collect Midge. I'll see you in Defense, okay?"

Regulus waved after Eliza as she hurried off to the hospital wing.

—

DADA passed without incident. During Potions, however, something of note happened to Regulus and Eliza. They had just finished working on their potion, a particular tricky draught, and Professor Slughorn came to praise their work, as usual.

"I say," said the man, bouncing jovially on his heels. "You two are quite the potion masters in training. Just between us, I have a little Christmas party I'm hosting the last day of term. I'd like to extend an invitation to my more extraordinary students. Other students will be there, as well as some notable members of society. How would you two like to attend?"

"We'd be honored, Sir," Regulus said immediately, giving Professor Slughorn his most charming smile.

"Wonderful!" Slughorn smiled in response. "I'd like you two to meet a couple of my other students gifted in the art of potion making. They're just in the year before yours. I'm sure you know Severus Snape, Regulus?"

Regulus nodded.

"Well then, we'll see you at eight sharp!" And away Professor Slughorn went to appraise the potions of their classmates.

"This is great!" Regulus whispered excitedly. "We're on our way to being in the Slug Club!"

"The Slug Club?" Eliza repeated cluelessly.

"Professor Slughorn always picks his best students to join his little club. Everyone who's invited always go on to do great things! You make lots of connections and meet a lot of important people."

"Oh, okay."

Regulus left Potions that day with a pep in his step which amused Eliza greatly. She was happy to see him in an uplifted mood. He'd been awfully broody as of late in anticipation of the holidays. Regulus always said there was a lot of tension at home with his brother Sirius.

Eliza caught up with her friends to tell them the news.

—

"I can't believe you're invited to Slug Club party!" Arthur said for the dozenth time.

The first years were seated around the fire. It was about time for Eliza to get ready for the party.

Eliza rolled her eyes but it was Emlyn that answered. "You know about them?"

Arthur shrugged. "My brother was invited to one once. McGonagall had talked him up; he's a whiz at Transfiguration. But I guess he wasn't amazing enough because he was never invited back."

"They're pretty exclusive," Jack said from his place in an armchair.

"Talk yourself up much?" Emlyn rolled her eyes.

"Why'd you get invited again?" Parker asked over his Quidditch magazine.

Jack stuck his nose up in his typical fashion. "My whole family's in the ministry. My great grandfather practically wrote half of our laws."

"Yeah, yeah," Emlyn waved her hand dismissively, which caused Parker to snort.

"Well we'd better get ready," Eliza said, getting to her feet.

"Yay!" Midge squealed, getting to her own feet with Eliza, Jack and Emlyn.

"You two haven't been invited," Arthur reminded Midge and Emlyn with a raised eyebrow.

"Duh," Midge rolled her eyes. "We have to help Eliza get ready."

"Why?"

"Because it's a party!" Midge exasperated. "Plus she's going with her strapping Regulus."

"Regulus isn't strapping!" Eliza sputtered, flustered.

"He so is," Emlyn said, looping her arm with Eliza's. "All that black hair, pale skin…and those cheekbones. Yum."

Eliza's eye twitched but Emlyn began to steer her towards the girls dormitory with Midge bouncing behind them.

"I don't have anything to wear to something like this," Eliza frowned twenty minutes later after the three girls had raided her trunk.

"You're right," Midge frowned, slumping on top of her bed, defeated.

Emlyn shot her a glare. "No she's not. Come on, it's not a _ball_. This outfit will do just fine."

Eliza looked to the outfit they'd picked out. It was a simple dark gray skirt and a deep red shirt. Paired with one of her plain black Hogwarts robes, it wasn't fancy by any means, but she looked nice enough.

And so Eliza put on the clothes and sat in front of her vanity to be preened by her roommates. Midge, who cared for her appearance far more than either Emlyn or Eliza did, supplied a light pink lipgloss. Emlyn brought the hair away from Eliza's face and secured it with a barrette.

—

Jack and Eliza met Regulus at the stairwell to the dungeons. Jack and Regulus exchanged a greeting and began their walk to Professor Slughorn's party.

"You look nice," Regulus said conversationally.

"So do you," Eliza said, appraising Regulus' outfit. "You packed dressrobes?"

"I'm a Black, of course I did."

Eliza was already aware of Sirius and his friends, the Maurauders they called themselves. The infamous group of Hogwarts. Somehow Eliza couldn't see Sirius Black packing dressrobes. But she was smart enough not to comment on it.

Jack engaged Regulus in conversation about their latest Defense Against the Dark Arts class. They'd begun learning how to perform Expelliarmus and Regulus had taken to it immediately. Regulus was sharing his technique with the Hufflepuffs when they entered the party.

The dungeon room had been utterly transformed. Gone was the dark, dreariness of the dungeons. The room was pleasantly warm with balls of light floating around the room. It was already filled with people, milling around. There were tables packed with food and drinks that refilled themselves.

Jack excused himself almost immediately, spotting a family member. Eliza was still taking in the amount of people that could fit into one room when Professor Slughorn bounced over.

"Eliza! Regulus! So pleased you're here! Come, come!" Slughorn ushered them a few feet forward as he gained the attention of a man who was talking to a seventh-year Ravenclaw. "This is Damocles Belby, an ex-student of mine. Very brilliant potioneer! He's currently at work on a ground breaking potion to cure lycanthropy!"

Eliza and Regulus looked at the man in awe. The man, who appeared to be in his late twenties, was wearing an embarrassed grin. "I don't know about cure…but I'm hoping to_ at least_ ease some of the effects…"

Slughorn barely heard. "Damocles, these are my new star students! Eliza Adwell and Regulus Black are dab hands at potions!"

"Terrific!" Damocles smiled good naturally. "A knack for potions is a lucky gift! You can do astounding things with potion making."

Eliza and Regulus just nodded, basking in the presence of great minds. Damocles made a bit more small talk with Professor Slughorn before moving away to get himself a drink.

"Brilliant student!" Slughorn smiled to himself before turning back to the first years. "Speaking of, let's find and ."

Eliza and Regulus followed Professor Slughorn through the crowd, watching as Slughorn jovially greeted people here and there. Finally they found themselves in the back of a room, where two people were chatting at a waist-high table.

"Ah, there you two are! Eliza, Regulus, this is Lily Evans and Severus Snape. They're second years, as I've mentioned. Severus is in my House of course. Lily here is in Gryffindor. Very talented pair these two, just like you!"

Severus Snape nodded at Regulus, who nodded in return. He was a thin boy, dressed in shabby robes. His skin was pale, even paler than Regulus', and his face was half covered in a sheet of greasy, black hair. He had a very hunched, unfriendly look about him. Lily, on the other hand, was radiance; from her fiery hair to her charming smile.

"Nice to meet you," Lily smiled.

"I'll let you get acquainted," Professor Slughorn said before making his way towards a table covered in trays of food.

"So you're Professor Slughorn's new favorites, huh?" Lily smirked, taking a sip of her drink.

"Jealous?" Smirked Regulus playfully.

"Hardly," Lily replied. "Sev here is brilliant; probably the best Potions student in the castle."

"I'm sure Eliza could give him a run for his money," Regulus said, causing Eliza to flush in embarrassment.

The pairs continued to converse. Severus didn't speak much and at some point, Regulus wandered off to make the acquaintance of other party goers. Eliza stayed with Lily, however, talking into the evening. It was funny how similar Lily and Severus were to Eliza and Regulus. By the end of the party, Eliza had made a new friend.

—

The carriages made their way to Hogsmead Station the next day. Regulus and Eliza had taken one together, which gave Regulus ample time to excitedly talk about everyone at Slughorn's party. Eliza let him go on, excited to see him so animated. And go on he did, all the way up until the carriages came to a stop.

"Write to me and tell me how your Christmas is," Eliza told Regulus, climbing out of the carriage.

Regulus rolled his eyes. "I'll see you in two weeks."

"Fine, don't write," Eliza pouted.

Regulus smirked and was about to respond when a voice shouted Eliza's name.

"Eliza!"

Eliza blinked and turned around. "Mum?"

There she was, Penelope Fawcett, waving from a few feet away, smiling widely. At her daughter's confused expression, she moved over, the hem of her purple robes gently grazing the snow-dusted ground.

"Mum, what are you doing here?" Eliza asked as her mom swept her into a hug.

"Oh I had to finish some Christmas shopping so I decided I might as well pick you up here!" Penelope said brightly. Her gaze moved from her daughter to Regulus, who was standing awkwardly to the side. "You must be Regulus."

Eliza's face flashed bright pink. "Mum!"

Regulus nodded, his posture perfectly straight, and offered Penelope his hand to shake. "Delightful to meet you."

Penelope, obviously charmed, grinned and shook the boy's hand. "And you. I've heard so much about you."

Regulus raised an eyebrow at Eliza, but she was busy studying her feet.

"Well Eliza, we'd best be on our way. We're having tea with a friend and we'll use her connection to floo home. Regulus, it was so nice to meet you."

Regulus nodded and turned to Eliza. "Happy Christmas."

"Happy Christmas," Eliza echoed and waved as Regulus boarded the Hogwarts Express.

"Well, he's certainly charming," Penelope commented as she and Eliza departed down a lane.

"Why didn't you tell me you would be here?" Eliza asked.

"Oh I wanted to surprise you. Were you surprised?"

"Certainly," Eliza smiled. "Can we stop at the bookshop?"

"Sure, Tomes and Scrolls is just down here," Penelope replied, veering off onto another lane. "Last minute Christmas shopping?"

"Yes, there's a book I wanted to pick up for Regulus."

Eliza and Penelope spent a pleasant afternoon searching through the shop that smelled of parchment and stopped at Honeydukes to pick up an assortment of treats. They had tea with Penelope's friend who worked with her at the Ministry. She was a pleasant woman who asked Eliza all about her first term at Hogwarts. Eliza told her about her classes and about Professor Slughorn's party, and Penelope and her coworker shared the gossip they knew about the notable attendants of said party.

By the time Eliza and her mother flooed home, Eliza was feeling a bit sleepy. They shared a light supper and retired to bed early.

The next morning, Eliza awoke to the smell of bacon cooking. Smiling, Eliza dressed and met her mother in the kitchen.

"I've cooked your favorite," Penelope smiled as Eliza took a seat at their small table.

The two tucked into their breakfast. Between bites, Eliza glanced to her mother. "Any word from Dad?"

Penelope's content expression faltered. "N-no."

Eliza looked back to her plate and their meal continued in silence. Eliza's mind was a whir of thoughts, however. Not about her father, for she rarely heard from him these days, but about something that had been sitting in the back of her mind since the beginning of term.

Eliza had wondered if she should ask her mom about purebloods and the movement going on within the wizarding world. She didn't want her mom to worry or thinking that it was a problem in her daughter's life. It really wasn't…unless you counted the incident with Midge. But there hadn't been any assurance that it had been an attack on her because she was muggleborn. Midge herself still insisted it was a cruel prank that she happened to fall victim to. But was the same thing happening in the real world, outside of school? It seemed like something Eliza would want to know about.

"Mum…do you remember this summer, when you had your coworker for tea?"

"Of course, dear," Penelope said, analyzing her daughter.

"Well…what was that thing you were talking about?"

Penelope set her fork down, frowning. "What did you hear?"

Eliza dropped her gaze. "Just…something about purebloods."

Penelope was quiet for a long moment. "Why are you asking?"

"I just thought…wondered, if it was something I should know about."

Another moment of silence. "There are some witches and wizards that believe they are superior to those with mixed blood, muggleborns and muggles."

"Why?"

"Who can say? It is an old ideology that some are simply vane enough to believe."

"But…it's causing problems…?"

"You've always been very perceptive," Penelope smirked before blowing out an air of frustration. "There's been a recent movement, lead by a wizard. He and those who believe in his ideology are trying to take steps to change the state of our world. They do not believe that muggleborns should be accepted into our society. They believe that we should rule over muggles."

"That's terrible," Eliza frowned.

Penelope nodded. "Yes. They're trying to make this a common belief amongst us. They've been trying to enact laws, starting with denouncing muggleborns as magical."

"But you're stopping them, right?"

"So far," Penelope said gravely. "The Ministry is taking a hard stance against them. But there are some within the Ministry who don't oppose these views. Fortunately, they are the minority."

"And it's purebloods who believe this?"

"Oh you mustn't lump everyone together like that. Not every pureblood believes in that nonsense. Many pureblood families have mixed their blood along the way; there really isn't many families whose lines have stayed "pure" so to say. There's the Sacred Twenty-Eight who claim they are, and they cut off any members who marry outside of those families. And certainly there are half bloods who also believe we should rule over muggles; that our magic makes us better than them."

Eliza took this all in, awed by it all. How could people actually believe in such a thing. That their blood made them any more important than anyone else, or better. She was a half blood, and she was just as talented as Regulus.

"This doesn't have anything to do with your friend Regulus, does it?" Penelope asked seriously.

"No!" Eliza said hurriedly. "Well…kind of, but not like that."

Penelope cocked her head in question.

"It's just…my friend Jack told me to be careful around him. But Regulus has never said any of those horrible things."

"I'm sure Jack means well but he is generalizing. The Blacks are part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, and it's possible that some of his family might agree with this…movement. But that doesn't mean Regulus does."

Eliza nodded, feeling a rush of relief that confused her. She hadn't realized that Jack had planted a seed of doubt in her mind. But now she felt entirely better and she finished her breakfast, ready to enjoy her winter break with her mother.

—

Break passed quickly and before she knew it, Eliza was aboard the Hogwarts Express on her way back to Hogwarts. Once again she shared a compartment with Regulus.

"Thank you for the gift! I've been wanting_ A Dabbing Hand _since Professor Slughorn mentioned it at the start of term!" Eliza smiled warmly at Regulus.

"Did you finish reading it yet?"

Eliza chuckled. "Not quite yet, but almost. How about you?"

Eliza had purchased a book on practical defensive magic for Regulus, along with a handful of cauldron cakes; the treat that had brought them together in the first place.

Regulus nodded. "I finished it, the theory portion anyway."

"How was your holiday?"

Regulus' face turned stony and he glanced out the window.

"Was it Sirius…?" Eliza ventured quietly, hoping Regulus would not get cross with her for bringing him up.

Regulus said nothing for a long time. When he did speak, he still stared out the window. "Sirius is intent on causing discord at home. He makes my mother so furious. And then I have to be perfect."

Eliza was taken aback. Regulus rarely opened up in this way. His words explained a lot. This was why his expressions were always controlled, his posture always perfect, his absolute rejection of was all expected of him. He had to be perfect. If he wasn't, he'd be outcasted like Sirius.

Eliza watched Regulus sadly. She understood his desire to keep the peace. Hadn't she done the same thing when her parents were still married? She'd even tried to suppress her magical abilities so that her father wouldn't look at her with disdain. Of course, that hadn't ended well and it had almost taken her life. However, the incident did finally prompt her mother to leave and life improved significantly in the end.

"Hey…" Eliza finally said quietly. "Do you want to play wizard chess?"

And the pair played away the afternoon with their minds occupied.

—

Spring finally rolled in bringing with his raging windstorms and heavy rains. And as these storms began to give way to clear skies and sunshine, end of term exams began to rear their ugly heads. Eliza spent plenty of time in the library with Regulus, completing essays and studying. She preferred to study the practical pieces with him, but it was simply easier to do it with her other friends. Being in her House, there was more time to practice within the Hufflepuff Common Room.

But this was quite alright. They all used their strengths to make up for another's weak spot. Emlyn was brilliant at both Transfiguration and Charms, Parker at DADA. Jack had a particular talent in Herbology and was kind enough to let people copy off of his Astronomy. Midge was the true God send, as she actually paid attention in History of Magic and had the only **complete** notes.

In the end, everyone got through their exams just fine and the last day of term found the Hufflepuffs lazing in the sloping lawns of the Hogwart's grounds.

"Wow…can you believe it's over?" Emlyn said, hands behind her head as she gazed up at the puffy, white clouds floating overhead.

"No," Eliza replied, playing Gobstones with Parker. "I'm really going to miss this place over the summer."

"I'm going to miss you guys," Midge said sadly, watching Jack levitate stones off the ground and try to toss them into the lake.

"Oh we'll write," Em assured.

"You guys can probably even come stay at my place," Eliza said.

"I won't be visiting," Jack said. "My family is going on a trip to Ireland this summer."

Midge asked excitedly about the trip while Eliza turned to Parker. "What about you?"

"I'm sure I can find time for a visit," he said, eyes on the game. "Nothing exciting going on at my house. I'm going to practice my Keeper skills."

"Hmm…maybe I should get my old broom out," Em mused.

"Changed your mind about trying out for the team?" Parker asked.

Emlyn shrugged lazily. "Well, next term is a fresh slate."

The friends agreed and the next day, they boarded the Hogwarts Express together. They all found a compartment together, loading their trunks and a hoard of snacks. Content as Eliza was with her year and her friends, she couldn't help feeling a little sad. She hadn't seen Regulus all day and she had wished to say goodbye. She had looked for him at the Hogsmead station, but he was no where to be found.

However, by mid-afternoon there was a knock on their compartment door. Everyone had been swapping chocolate frog cards when they peered up to see the door slide open and Regulus appear in the doorway.

"Regulus!" Eliza smiled happily, getting to her feet.

"Oh…sorry; I didn't know you guys were all together," Regulus replied, a bit uncomfortable. He didn't spend much time around her other friends, which was okay. It had taken long enough for him to find a comfortable ease with her this year and sometimes she swore the way he acted around her, he didn't act around anyone else.

"No worries!" Eliza stepped out of the compartment and slid the door shut. "I'm glad you found me! I was worried you'd go away without saying goodbye."

"We're only on break for a few months," Regulus rolled his eyes, but he was smiling.

"I'm used to seeing you nearly every day."

Regulus shuffled his feet awkwardly. "Well, if you want to…you can write me this summer."

"Oh, I was going to do that anyway. Didn't know it required an invitation," Eliza said brightly.

Regulus smirked at the blonde. "Well, have a good summer."

Eliza smiled and pulled Regulus into a hug. Regulus stiffened slightly but Eliza let go quick enough. Quick enough to notice small patches of red on his cheeks. "Have a good summer. Stay out of trouble."

Another smirk. "Bye, Eliza."

"See you next term."

**Author's Note: **

**A huge thank you to every single one of my readers! Every email I get saying I've been followed or favorited gets me through these continuous 16-hour force overs! Now I'm just slightly above begging, but I would be so pleased to hear your thoughts on the story! Opinions, ideas, ****_ships_**** *cough**cough***

**All my love to you fabulous people!**


	4. Stay Out of Trouble

**04\. Stay Out of Trouble**

_Regulus,_

_I hope your summer break is going well! Have you started any of your homework yet? I tried to get started on the Goblin Rebellion paper for Professor Binns. You'd think an essay on ogres rebelling would be a compelling piece. You'd be wrong._

_I got a letter from my dad last week. It took me a few days to open it. He asked if I wanted to come see him. It's the first time he's asked in two years. Mum told me to do whatever I wanted…but I don't know what I want. We were pretty close when I was little…but when I started showing signs of magic…well…_

_When my mum first told my dad, when they were dating, about her magic, she told me he was delighted by it. But a few years into their marriage, after they had me, she said he started to resent it. I guess it would be hard to be around magic knowing you could never do those things. Mum started using magic less around the house. But when I started making bubbles from thin air and slamming doors without touching them, Mum said it was too much. Dad started drinking. He told me I disappointed him. He liked to remind me that I wasn't special. That my magic didn't make me special, and that it was the only thing about me that even made me remotely different. And of course, different wasn't good. Once Mum and I moved out, we hardly ever spoke to him. Sometimes he'd send me a birthday card._

_I guess I don't know what I should do. He's still my dad, and I love him._

_But I guess this is where I end my letter; I can hear that Em just appeared in our fireplace. I'm having everyone over tonight. Wish you could have come!_

_Stay out of trouble,_

_E_

—

"I think we should call this a draw!"

"Oh don't be so sore Em, you lost fair and square," Parker teased, touching down to the ground. Eliza followed him.

"Fair my arse!" Em fired back, touching down as well. "I had Arthur on my team!"

"It's true," Arthur said, reaching the ground.

"See!?"

"Em you're so mean!" Eliza laughed. "Besides, I'm not that good."

"You're passable," Parker said, elbowing her lightly.

"Besides, Midge was a bad play caller," Em continued.

"Was not!" Midge put her hands to her hips, her referee whistle that Penelope had conjured resting against her chest.

"Yeah Em, you have to learn to deal with calls if you're trying out for the team," Parker said, putting his broom down on the ground, then sitting down next to it.

"Yeah, I see the Slytherins get away with sooo much rubbish," Arthur agreed, sitting as well.

"I think Regulus is planning on trying out this year," Eliza said thoughtfully, taking a seat beside Parker.

"Then he has become our enemy," Parker said gravely.

"Oh shut up," Eliza scolded, lightly punching him in the shoulder.

"I'm not worried; we can beat him," Em said smugly, tossing the ball they'd been using up and down.

"Quidditch," Eliza rolled her eyes and everyone shared a smile.

—

_Regulus,_

_I'm so glad to hear your summer is going well. But geez, that's a lot of books! You'll never get your vitamin D if you stay inside all day! Though I'm a little jealous you're finished with all your homework. By chance, do you know if wand legislation was a key element in the 17th or in the 18th century? I can't seem to find that answer anywhere!_

_Thank you for your advice. I guess I should meet with Dad. If it gets too bad I can always leave right? I think you may be right; maybe him reaching out means he's better about everything. I'll write him._

_You're trying out for the Quidditch team this term right? Em and Parker are trying out for ours. They've declared you our mortal enemy. But don't worry; a forbidden friendship is just the right amount of drama._

_How are things at home? Your last letter was very vague. It's okay if you don't want to talk about it. I just worry about you._

_Stay out of trouble,_

_E_

—

Penelope brought Eliza to her father's apartment the muggle way. Best to avoid obvious magic, she had said. She would then apparate home. Penelope told her if she needed to leave before the weekend was up to use the Knight Bus.

And so, on a Friday afternoon, Eliza made her way to her father's door, backpack over her shoulder. She rang the buzzer, anxiety bubbling in her stomach. She waited one…two…three heartbeats, and then the 'click' of the door unlocking. She made her way down the dimly lit hallway to her father's apartment; he was already standing in the doorway.

Eliza's father was a stocky man with a growing beer belly. His dark hair and stubble were peppered with gray. His eyes, once the brilliant bronze like Eliza's, were weary.

"Hi, Dad," Eliza said tentatively.

"'Liza, come on in," Brant said, stepping aside.

Brant Adwell's apartment was modest at best. The furniture was worn and sparse. There were no pictures on the wall, no knick knacks. A stack of pizza boxes were piled on the kitchen counter. The telly, airing a review of the latest football game, was on in the living room but it was muted.

Locking the door behind his daughter, Brant moved over to the recliner that sat in the corner of the living room. It's tan exterior betrayed that it was well lived in. Eliza wandered to a loveseat in the room, gingerly moved a pile of laundry, and took a seat as well.

"Would you like anything to drink?"

"No, thank you."

"How has your summer been?"

"Good. My friends have come by a few times. We spend a lot of time playing Quidditch." Even as the word left her mouth, Eliza winced.

A brief moment of silence. "You play Quidditch?"

"Well not for our House. First years don't make the Quidditch team but I'm not going to play. I'm sure you recall I'm not athlete. Besides, I like reading books rather than participating in athletics."

Brant nodded. "Yes, you always did enjoy your books. Read anything interesting recently?"

Eliza adverted her eyes to the floor. "Nothing from the muggle world." Another wince.

"How do you like school?"

Eliza chanced a look at her father. He was looking at her blankly but steadily.

"School is…great. It's really great."

Her dad asked her about her favorite subject, her friends, her homework. By the end of the weekend, Eliza was feeling better about her relationship with her dad than she did in years. By the time Penelope picked her up, her father had even offered for her to visit again before the start of term.

—

_Regulus,_

_My visit went great! He even asked me all about school. He said he'd write to let me know when to come back! I'm so glad I listened to you!_

_But more importantly, I'm so sorry to hear that things are so tense at home. Do you try to talk to Sirius much? I know you guys were close as kids. I'm sure he still loves you…deep down that is. So maybe you can even talk him down a little bit. Try to make him see the sense in staying calm. Maybe you guys can practice Quidditch together?_

_I know it's easy for me to say these things. I just want to help. I'd rather you not dread your vacation. And you know if you ever need to get away you're always welcome here._

_Stay out of trouble,_

_E_

—

As soon as Eliza's booklist came, she and Penelope made a trip to Diagon Alley. They ran into Parker outside Quality Quidditch Supplies where he was ogling the new Cleansweep. Then they stopped for ice cream at Fortescue's.

"Well let's see; looks like we still need your books," Penelope glanced down at the list as they stepped back out onto the cobbled streets.

"And I need to restock my Potions kit; don't let me forget," Eliza replied as they headed to Flourish and Blotts.

"I'll go find your Transfiguration text," Penelope said. "There's a book in that section I've been meeting to pick up. Think you can manage finding the others?"

Eliza smiled and wandered towards the Charms section. Following the letters on the shelves, she turned down an aisle and nearly ran into Regulus Black.

"Regulus!" Eliza chirped happily, quickly pouncing on him and wrapping him in a hug.

"Hi, Eliza," Regulus said calmly, straightening his shirt once Eliza detached herself.

"Hey Eliza, missed you too," Eliza said in a mockingly low voice, rolling her eyes.

Regulus smirked and started to say something just as a tall woman, standing straight as a board, with her black hair pulled tightly back in a bun, turned into the aisle. Her nose, so resembling Regulus', was stuck high in the air.

"Regulus, have you found your book?"

Regulus' spine snapped straight. "Yes, Mother."

"Good. I'm having your textbooks delivered," Regulus' mother was straightening the silky black gloves that donned her hands when she noticed Eliza. "Oh. Who is this?"

"This is Eliza Adwell,; she's in my year," he said, glancing to the blonde beside him.

"Is she in Slytherin with you?"

"Hufflepuff; ma'am," Eliza offered.

The woman wrinkled her nose subtly, but not subtly enough for it to escape Eliza's notice. Eliza had a feeling it wasn't meant to.

"I see. Regulus, if you're finished, we need to return home."

"Yes, Mother," Regulus turned to Eliza. "I'll see you at school."

"Bye," Eliza said, watching Regulus and his mother move to the counter.

—

_Regulus,_

_Seeing me in a book shop doesn't take the place of a letter. But at least I know you and Sirius haven't killed each other._

_I finally finished that essay._

_My dad never wrote._

_I'll see you next week I guess._

_Stay out of trouble,_

_E_

—

Eliza rode the Hogwarts Express with her fellow Hufflepuffs. It was quite a bit louder than her first trip. Parker told everyone about the new broom he had gotten for his birthday. Jack regaled them all with his cushy trip to Ireland. Eliza tucked into a new novel.

This time, upon arrival, they did not ride the boats. Instead, they shared a carriage up to the castle. Seven new students were added to Hufflepuff house. They were introduced to a new DADA professor; Professor Qolivier had taken an unfortunate fall down several flights of stairs on the last day of term.

Bellies full, the second year Hufflepuffs made their way to the Common Room. Arms linked with Emlyn and Midge as they chatted about what they'd expect the next day, Eliza's mind was on a certain black-haired boy. She'd spotted him at the Slytherin table, but she hadn't been able to make eye contact. She hadn't heard from him since their meeting in Diagon Alley. Eliza told herself he probably just assumed he'd see her soon enough, but Eliza couldn't deny she missed him. With his quirky smile and his brooding silences.

She'd see him tomorrow, she decided as she and her dorm mates unpacked their trunks. At the very least, it looked like he'd stayed out of trouble.

**Author's Note**

**This is probably the shortest chapter of the story. I believe the next two are fairly short as well.**

**Thank you, thank you to every one of my readers; especially those who have followed and favorited! I'm so honored! And for those who have left reviews, you guys are rockstars! Thank you for making an author's world go round!**


	5. Questions

**05\. Questions**

Eliza dropped her book bag and cauldron onto the table heavily. Regulus, who was already setting up his cauldron, looked up at her questioningly.

"Have you been avoiding me?" Eliza asked, hands on her hips, staring pointedly.

"What?"

"You never wrote me back," Eliza said with a pout.

"I was really busy."

"Too busy for me?"

"Yes. I mean…I don't know. I guess time just got away from me," Regulus stared hard at the desktop.

Eliza looked at him skeptically. Seemed like a cop out answer to her. But what could she say? Forcing the truth out of him likely wouldn't end well. She also didn't want to fight with him. Instead she sighed, taking her seat.

"Look…I'm sorry."

Eliza glanced back to the boy. He was looking at her now. And he did look sorry. What could she do? She couldn't be mad at his stupid face. She huffed.

"I'll make it up to you," Regulus said. "Can you meet me at the stairwell to the dungeons after classes? We'll go for a walk. You can tell me your friends' Quidditch weaknesses."

Eliza quirked a smile and elbowed him playfully.

—

When classes finished for the day, Eliza dropped her bag off in her dorm and made her way to the designated stairwell. She still felt like Regulus wasn't telling her something. She didn't like the fact that it felt like he was lying to her. Friends shouldn't lie to each other. And after all of the knowledge she had entrusted him with.

What if he was just sick of her? The thought hit her with a jolt. Had she been too clingy and Regulus didn't want to hurt her feelings? The idea filled her with a sudden sadness. She had come to think of Regulus as her best friend. Emlyn was too, but Regulus held a special place in her heart. Because unlike Emlyn, Regulus wasn't a very social being. And he always seemed freer when he was with her. That was just a different kind of friendship.

Eliza was pulled from her thoughts as she reached the stairwell and heard a commotion echoing up the stone steps. Furrowing her brows, Eliza hurried down the steps in search of the noises. She didn't have to look far. A scene opened up to her as she found herself in the dungeon corridor.

A small group of people crowded around three people. She recognized them. Two of the boys were James Potter and Sirius Black, one year her senior. They both had their wands out, pointed at Severus Snape. Snape's legs were scrambling beneath him and he fell, yet his legs continued to wave around wildly. Most everyone in the crowd was laughing.

Eliza spotted Regulus. He was standing in the crowd, his face alit with alarm. Eliza rushed over to him, but he barely recognized her presence. She turned her attention back to the three boys and she frowned.

"Knock it off!" She said angrily, glaring at James and Sirius.

Surprised, the Gryffindors looked towards the sound of her voice. They appeared to study her with interest before Sirius' eyes passed from her to Regulus and his lips twisted into a sneer.

"Who's this _Reggie_? Friend of yours?" Sirius snickered.

Regulus' face flushed red and he glared.

"What's the matter? Couldn't step in to save your Slytherin mate? Had to have your girlfriend do it for you?"

Regulus whipped his wand out so fast it was blur. Somehow, Eliza caught his wrist before he actually cast a spell.

"Get off!" Regulus whispered angrily at her, his eyes flashing dangerously.

Eliza was taken aback by his hostility, but she didn't back down. "You're not letting your brother get you in trouble." She turned back to James and Sirius. "You two don't belong down here."

"Neither do you," James said, appraising her uniform.

"A _Hufflepuff_, Reggie? What would our dear mother say?" Sirius taunted.

Eliza could feel the fury rolling off of Regulus in waves. She could feel his wrist trembling and she knew he desperately wanted to fire off a hex. Instead, he wrenched his wrist free and pushed past her, stalking off away from the scene and up the stairwell where they were supposed to meet.

Eliza watched him go before turning her attention back to Sirius. "You're nothing but a bully."

As quick as Regulus had pulled out his wand, Eliza drew hers and preformed the proper counter-curse on Snape. His legs quit their erratic display. He did not thank her, nor did he even look at her. She didn't care. She marched after Regulus with the sounds of James and Sirius taunting Snape for his rescue.

Regulus wasn't in the stairwell. He wasn't in the entrance hall or the Great Hall. She headed outside, but a quick sweep of the grounds didn't reveal her friend. She had no idea where he'd went. She wondered if maybe he was avoiding her and quickly concluded that he probably was.

She'd just been trying to help, Eliza thought despairingly, making her way towards the lake. She hadn't thought about the fact that Sirius might retaliate at Regulus. She never dreamed that he'd be so _hostile_.

She'd heard the stories about Sirius Black. Devilishly handsome with a sharp wit. Dangerously talented, but arrogant. A rule breaker. A trickster. He and his group of friends made all kinds of trouble around Hogwarts. Simple pranks; usually harmless. Sometimes she'd hear stories of him and James Potter bullying others. And she'd just witnessed it down there in the dungeon. But that's not what her mind focused on.

It focused on that look in his eyes, the way he'd sneered at Regulus; with solid dislike. It was like spotting Regulus had made fangs slip out. He didn't look so handsome then. He looked like a predator who'd found his prey.

But Regulus wasn't prey. Regulus was dangerously talented too. He was intelligent. No doubt that if Eliza hadn't intervened, a bloody duel would have taken place down in that corridor.

Sighing, Eliza took a seat underneath the nearest tree to the lake and her mind wandered to Regulus. Recalling the scene, in retrospect, she thought Regulus might have stepped in to defend his fellow Slytherin. But he hadn't. Common sense told her it was because of Sirius. He hadn't wanted to fight his brother.

Eliza thought about Regulus' relationship with his brother. He didn't speak about it much, but sometimes he'd tell her stories from his childhood. It had always seemed to Eliza that Regulus and Sirius had been fairly close when they were younger. But it had changed when Sirius was sorted into Gryffindor. But why had that destroyed their relationship? Did Regulus want to disown him simply because his family was furious that Sirius hadn't followed family tradition? Had the feud started when Regulus was sorted into Slytherin? And would that be because Sirius was upset that Regulus stuck to family tradition, or was it because Sirius was now the only black sheep?

Question upon question, but no answers. Eliza found herself distraught. She wanted to understand Regulus; wanted to help. At the very least, she just wanted to be a shoulder to lean on. That's what friends did. But how could she be if she didn't know?

And then it struck Eliza how little she _did_ know. Now that she considered it, she didn't know very much about Regulus' home life. And this deeply bothered her. Why didn't he want her to know? Did he not trust her? Did he simply not see her as the friend that she saw him as?

A pang of sadness shot through her heart. Had they really just been acquaintances this whole time and Eliza was too stupid to realize? But why? Sirius' words echoed through her head, _"A Hufflepuff, Reggie?"_

Eliza swallowed hard against the lump that had formed in her throat. Deep down, she must have known that it was odd for a member of the Sacred Twenty-Eight to be close friends with…well, a half-blooded Hufflepuff with muggle-born friends. But she'd never given it much thought. Regulus had never seemed to mind. They'd had a connection before they'd even been sorted, and that bond was stronger than Houses.

But then…maybe not? Maybe she'd been foolish this whole time?

Feeling completely dejected, Eliza dragged herself to her feet and made the lone walk to her dormitory.

—

"Are you sure you're not hungry?" Emlyn frowned. Her and Midge were on their way down to dinner.

Eliza had headed straight to her bed and there she remained. She nodded absently to Emlyn's question.

"What's up with you?" Midge asked with a frown. "You look depressed."

Eliza shrugged dispassionately.

"Well that confirms it," Midge said, glancing to Emlyn for direction.

Emlyn was watched Eliza carefully. "Did something happen?"

Eliza hesitated for a moment before shaking her head.

Em sighed. "Well if you change your mind, come sit with us, okay?"

The two girls departed with hushed whispers. Eliza sighed and rolled onto her side. She laid there until the sun set and cast the room in darkness. Eliza was deciding whether or not she had the desire to get herself to the bathroom when there was a tapping sound coming from beside her bed.

Sitting up, Eliza's eyebrows furrowed. Slowly getting up, she followed the tapping sound to the window nearest her bed. With much of the Hufflepuff Common Room underground, the windows were small and round and revealed an eye-level view of the grounds. Eliza was used to seeing green grass and flowers but this evening, there was a face in the window.

Eliza yelped, jumping back in surprise. Regulus, who was laying flat on the grass, put his finger to his lips, shushing her. Then he motioned for her to join him. Confused, Eliza snatched her wand from her nightstand, grabbed a sweatshirt and began the trek from her room to the Hogwart's grounds.

"Why were you creeping at my window?" Eliza crossed her arms, arching an eyebrow once she'd found Regulus some ten minutes later.

"Well I couldn't very well come to your room any other way," Regulus said simply.

"How did you know I was there?"

"Emlyn."

So he'd come searching for her. This lifted her spirits, but her face betrayed nothing. As if Regulus could read her mind, he spoke again.

He looked down to his feet, looking contrite. "I'm sorry for being angry with you earlier. I wasn't really mad at you. And I said I'd make it up to you and…well, I'm sorry."

Eliza said nothing but realized her mouth was open in surprise and snapped it shut. She could tell Regulus was out of his element here. Instead of looking far older and sophisticated than he usually did, he instead looked a boy, shy and sorry.

When Regulus looked up at her, frowning at her silence, she looked for the words she wanted to say.

"Am I your friend?"

"What?"

"Am I your friend?"

Regulus looked at her, clearly confused. "Of course you are."

"You don't tell me things."

"Like what?"

"Like your family; you never talk about them. You hardly told me anything about your summer. It's like you hold back pieces of yourself."

Regulus was quiet for a long moment and he looked away from her, out towards the sloping lawns. "My family isn't like you."

This time, it was Eliza's turn to look confused.

Regulus looked pained. "My family doesn't think like you. They don't see the good in everyone. Their values are…different."

"….Is that why you didn't write to me at the end? Was it your mother? Is it because I'm not in Slytherin?"

Regulus was looking extremely uncomfortable now. He was looking anywhere but at her. "She doesn't know you. Not like I do."

"Does that bother you?"

Regulus finally looked back at her, a stubborn expression on his face. "I don't care if she doesn't like that you're not in Slytherin."

Something warm spread across her chest. She moved closer to Regulus so that there was barely any space between them. Tentatively, she placed a hand on his arm. "I just want you to let me in."

Regulus was silent. His eyes searched hers, searching. But there was something in them…something she'd never seen before. _Fear_.

"And what if you don't like what you find?" He all but whispered.

Eliza gave him a little smile. "Impossible."

Regulus stared back at her. _Through_ her.

Eliza snaked her arm through Regulus'. "Come on. I believe you owe me a walk."

—

Eliza and Regulus managed to get to their respective Common Rooms without being caught out after curfew. They had a close call with a Gryffindor prefect in the entrance hall but they'd escape, giggling as they did.

Eliza sneaked into her dormitory as quietly as possible. She was relieved to find the lights out. She'd prefer getting caught by a prefect than explain to Emlyn and Midge why she was sneaking in after curfew.

Eliza tiptoed to her bed, stripped off her clothes, put on her pajamas, pulled back the covers, and the lights switched on. Specifically, the light between Midge's and Emlyn's bed. Eliza froze.

"Well, well, well, look who finally came to bed," Emlyn looked playfully smug.

"Where have you been!?" Midge jumped out of her bed to look Eliza over. "You missed curfew! You're a goodey goodey! And you were out past curfew!"

Eliza's face lit up in embarrassment. "I'm not a goodey goodey!"

"You SO are," Em rolled her eyes but she also got out of bed. "Where have you been? When we came back and you weren't here, we thought maybe you'd gone to the library to read, but you weren't there."

"I'm sorry, I didn't meant to worry you. I just…went for a walk."

"A walk?" Em raised an eyebrow. "Til this time of night?"

Eliza sighed. She didn't feel like hanging out with Regulus was embarrassing, but she had a feeling Em and Midge wouldn't feel that way.

"You know, Regulus came asking about you at dinner," Em said. When Eliza didn't answer, she continued. "Did you guys have a fight or something?"

Eliza looked away.

"E…talk to us…"

Eliza looked to her friends faces and found the same concern there that she had had for Regulus. Her own words echoed in her mind._ "I just want you to let me in."_

Eliza sighed and sat down on her bed. Patting gently on the bedspread, she motioned for her friends to sit with her, and they did. And so she started with meeting . She told them her insecurities, what her mother had said, what Sirius had said, and she ended with Regulus' apology. She didn't tell them the other words that had passed between them. That, she would keep for herself.

They didn't get much sleep that night. Midge and Em tried their best to dispel all of Eliza's fears, that she was the best friend anyone could ask for. They all talked poorly of James Potter and Sirius Black. And by the time they fell asleep snuggled together, Em even admitted with a smile that Regulus was a regular stand-up guy; to which Eliza laughed heartily and punched her friend in the shoulder.

Good friends were hard to find, Eliza thought as she drifted off to sleep, and she had found the absolute best. All of them.

**Author's Note**

**Here's another chapter! I'm posting to celebrate that I've written four whole chapters yesterday/today (including scenes that I'd been stuck on)!**

**Please enjoy!**

**And if you'd like to make this passionate author smile, please drop a review! I love to hear your thoughts! **


	6. A Romantic at Heart

**06\. A Romantic at Heart**

"What is that you're reading?" Regulus asked, glancing curiously over at a book laying in front of Eliza. "That doesn't look like homework."

"I've already finished my homework," Eliza replied, not taking her eyes off the text. "I was just reading for fun—Hey!"

Regulus had snatched the book away. Marking her place with his thumb, Regulus flipped the book over to look at the cover. The title was written in cursive and beneath it was a drawing of a witch clutching to a wizard who held his lit wand aloft. Although there were no other pictures, it clearly seemed that the wizard was posed to fight off an enemy.

"_Mon Heros_? What's this dribble?"

Blushing furiously, Eliza tried in vain to retrieve her book. "_My Hero_ is a classic!"

"Is this a _romance_!?" Regulus asked in disgust, dropping the book back down on the table as though it had burned him.

Still blushing, Eliza grabbed her book, holding it against her chest. "Don't be thick!_ My Hero_ is much more than that! It's the tale of Abelia and Dantin and their quest to not **only** save their love for each other, but their entire country from a rouge band of wizards seeking to destroy the fragile peace between wizards and muggles."

"Ugh," Regulus rolled his eyes. "Does he wear a suit of armor and everything?"

"No," Eliza snapped. "Not all heroes wear armor."

"Yeah but does he miraculously save them all at the last moment? Make a great personal sacrifice? Get the girl?"

Eliza glared, saying nothing. Because of course he did.

"Sounds like typical hero droll to me."

"It's not droll," Eliza 'hmped', reopening her book. "Everyone loves a good hero tale."

Or five…or ten…or really how many she could get her hands on. Didn't even matter if half of the plot lines were the same. Everyone was entitled to a guilty pleasure.

"Not everyone is a hero, Eliza."

"Well of course not everyone is," Eliza rolled her eyes. But then she sighed dreamily. "But I wish there were more."

"Why?"

"Because! I have a thing for heroes," Eliza sighed dreamily again before returning to her story.

Regulus rolled his eyes and shook his head, returning to his essay. When he finished, he immediately packed his bag.

"Quidditch practice?" Eliza asked, bookmarking her place.

Regulus nodded. "Last one before the match. If I die, blame Rosier."

"No problem there," Eliza muttered. It was no secret that Eliza was no fan of his, on or off the Quidditch field.

Regulus bent forward, placing a light kiss on Eliza's head; a custom he'd started since their midnight stroll several months ago.

"Don't forget a scarf," Eliza waved as Regulus departed. He put a hand up over his head to say that he heard.

—

The Saturday of the match between Hufflepuff and Slytherin found Eliza sitting with her friends, eating breakfast. Emlyn, in a rare show of nerves, was pushing her eggs around her plate.

"Come on, Em, you have to eat. We **have** to beat Slytherin," Jack said.

"Thanks, Jack, you're so helpful," Eliza rolled her eyes. She put a comforting hand on Emlyn's shoulder. "You're going to do fine."

"Hey Emmy!" Said a chipper voice from behind the group. The voice belonged to Pattie Quinn, a Gryffindor whom Emlyn had become fast friends with. The girl took the open seat next to her.

Pattie had shoulder-length curly auburn hair. Her big, brown eyes were always alit with mischief. Eliza enjoyed her quick wit and sarcastic commentary.

"How you feeling, Emmy?" Pattie asked, rubbing Emlyn's back.

"I'm fine!" Em exasperated. "Just not hungry. We're going to flatten Slytherin."

"Absolutely right, Em," Parker nodded before turning his green eyes on Eliza. "Now E, you'll be wearing _Hufflepuff_ colors, right?"

Eliza rolled her eyes and threw a bagel at his head. "As long as you save those goals, McKinnon."

Parker mockingly saluted.

One of the older Hufflepuffs came to collect Parker and Em. Pattie decided to walk down with them, tying a scarf around her neck.

"How is Regulus?" Jack asked, taking a bite of toast.

"Just as confident that Slytherin will flatten us as Parker is confident that we'll flatten Slytherin," Eliza replied.

"You guys invited to Slughorn's Christmas party at the end of the month?" He asked.

"Oh sure, it's the one time a year Regulus acts like he likes other people," Eliza smiled.

Midge sighed from her spot across from Eliza. "I wish I was special enough to be invited."

"You **are** special enough, Midge. But you know we're allowed to bring guests. Jack, why don't you take Midge with this year?" Eliza suggested.

Midge's bright eyes widened. "Oh no, I couldn't possibly-"

Jack waved away her comment. "I'd love to have you along, Midge. I'm pretty sure my uncle will be there this year. He's always full of good stories."

Midge positively beamed and she chatted with Jack about his family all the way down to the pitch.

It was a close game but Slytherin ultimately won 180-150. Regulus had caught the snitch and it was a good thing too, as practically everyone was frozen in their seats. Parker was not happy about this, however, as anyone in the Hufflepuff Common Room would hear later that evening.

"Regulus saved them," Parker said, annoyed. "We were creaming them. It's no wonder though. He's got a seeker build alright. Our seeker just doesn't have the ability to fly like he does. Skinny little-"

Parker broke off when he caught Eliza's eye. "No offense meant."

Em snorted from her spot near the fire. "Yeah okay Parker. Just admit it, you're a sore loser."

Parker looked scandalized, causing everyone to laugh.

—

The holidays came and went. Slughorn's party was just as grand as the previous year, but no one enjoyed it as much as Midge. She positively glowed and Jack had done good on his promise to introduce her, not only to his uncle, but everyone else he knew through his family ties.

Eliza had gone home for the holidays. She once again heard nothing from her father, but she had a lovely break with her mom. She'd been spoiled by her friends, including Regulus who had sent her a romance novel. He probably thought of it as a joke but Eliza had never read it before and she dug right into it.

Valentine's Day was now rolling around and the school was celebrating.

"I can't handle this much pink," Regulus said darkly, using his hand to bat away a pink envelope that was following him down the corridor.

"Oh lighten up!" Eliza said brightly. "It's such a happy holiday! It's my favorite."

Regulus pulled a disgusted face. "Ugh! I guess I shouldn't be surprised with your obsession with those romance 'novels'."

Eliza bumped her shoulder into his. "Oh come on. Chocolates, flowers, what's there not to love?"

"You only get those things if you're dating someone," Regulus said distractedly, still trying to evade the envelope. "Did you do this just to laugh at me?"

Eliza laughed. "Oh come on, I wouldn't be that cruel. I don't even think it's addressed to you. I think someone didn't do their charm correctly."

Finally taking pity on her friend, Eliza grabbed the envelope and threw it down the corridor like a frisbee.

"And by the way," she continued. "You don't have to be dating someone. I have chocolates for all my friends."

Regulus raised an eyebrow.

"Well not you, I bought you cauldron cakes," Eliza grinned, swinging her backpack to her front, digging in and retrieving a box of cauldron cakes.

"Well now I look like an ass," Regulus said but he smiled as he took the box. "Why couldn't your favorite holiday be Christmas like normal people?"

"Christmas is my second favorite holiday," Eliza said matter of factly. "And don't worry about it; boys are adverse to Valentine's Day until they're like, fifteen. And even then, they simply tolerate it."

"Glad to know you're not just a pretty face."

Eliza laughed just as three purple envelopes surrounded Regulus' head.

—

That evening, the second years were lazing around their normal spot. They were all enjoying their chocolates that Eliza had gifted them. Emlyn had double the chocolates, as Pattie had given her some too.

"We don't deserve a friend like you," Midge told Eliza, leaning up against Jack's legs.

"I know," Eliza winked.

"I still think it's funny how much you get into this holiday," Em said with a smile.

"Oh, I'm a romantic at heart."

Arthur, Jack and Em gagged.

"Oh grow up," Eliza chucked a chocolate at Em, who was nearest to her.

"Never!"

The Hufflepuffs managed to finish their star charts before one by one, they went up to bed. Parker and Eliza were the last to leave.

"Well goodnight, Parker. Don't forget we have double Transfiguration tomorrow."

"Wait, Eliza. Hold on, I've been practicing something."

Eliza watched, confused as Parker pulled out a piece of parchment and his wand.

"I did it right last night," he mumbled, more to himself. He muttered an enchantment Eliza was unfamiliar with and waved his wand. The parchment began to twist and turn and change colors until it morphed into a purple carnation. Looking pleased with himself, he handed it to Eliza.

"It's beautiful!" Eliza smiled, taking the flower. "How did you do that!?"

Parker rubbed the back of his head. "Maybe I can show you tomorrow."

"Definitely!" Eliza grinned. "Thank you, Parker!"

"Well, it's your favorite holiday after all."

Eliza pulled him into a hug. "Thank you. Goodnight, Parker."

"Goodnight, Eliza."

Still smiling, Eliza hurried to her dorm. Rummaging through her trunk, she pulled out a goblet she had transfigured in class and moved to the bathroom to fill it with water.

"Whatcha got there?" Midge asked, already tucked into bed.

"A flower. Parker transfigured it for me," Eliza said brightly. She missed the stares Midge and Em shared.

"More flowers?" Midge asked.

"What do you mean?" Eliza asked cluelessly, exiting the bathroom.

"You have a whole bunch on your bed," Em said, pointing to her bed.

Eliza wandered over and was surprised to find a whole bouquet of lilies sitting atop her bedspread. Attached to the blue ribbon that bound the flowers, was a tag. It read: _No longer an ass._

Smiling to herself, she placed the lilies and the carnation in the goblet after making it slightly larger.

"Well, looks like you had a good Valentine's Day," Em said. Neither she nor Midge asked who the lilies had come from.

"Very."

**Author's Note**

**This is a very short, fluffy chapter! I hope you enjoyed it all the same. Next chapter will be longer and will be a much more serious tone.**

**Reviews are homemade chocolate cookies straight from the oven!**


	7. Troubled Times

**07\. Troubled Times**

Eliza awoke to the sun shining through her windows. She yawned, rolling over to check the clock on her nightstand. 6:08 it read. A little early for a Saturday morning, she thought, but considering she spent quite a bit of her summer break sleeping in, one early day wasn't bad.

Sliding out of bed, Eliza pushed her feet into a pair of slippers and wandered downstairs. Eliza expected to see her mother sitting in the living room, reading the paper, but she wasn't there. She found her, instead, sitting at their small kitchen table.

Penelope sat at the table, her head in her hands. There was a mug in front of her, but as Eliza drew closer, she realized the contents had not been touched and were now cold. She also noticed The Daily Prophet was folded up on the table.

"Mum…? Is everything okay?" Eliza asked, taking a seat opposite her mother.

Penelope looked up. Her face was pale and her eyes looked weary.

"Mum, what is it?"

"It's Hope…"

Eliza searched her memory. "Your friend that lives in Hogsmead? That works in your office?"

Penelope nodded and a tear escaped her eye.

"Has something happened?"

"She…she didn't show up to work yesterday. I thought she must be ill. But it says here…" she gestured dispassionately at the paper. "That…they found her dead in her home."

Eliza's eyes widened. "But…she wasn't old?"

Penelope shook her head. "It was _him_. His followers. She wrote a column in the paper the other day and…"

"Him?"

"Voldemort."

—

When Eliza returned to her room, she was deeply troubled. She couldn't get much information out of her mother. Eliza reasoned her mother was trying to protect her, shelter her, but she was disturbed. She already knew pieces about what her mother had called a movement and Eliza felt she should know the rest. She wasn't a little kid anymore; she was thirteen, and this was serious.

Reaching for some parchment and a quill, she scribbled a note to the person she thought could spread the most light on this.

_Can we meet?_

She rolled up the small piece, tied a ribbon around it, and sent it off with their owl. Luckily for her, Jack lived in London and her reply arrived later that night.

_Can you floo to my place tomorrow at noon?_

Eliza quickly scrawled back that she would, let her owl drink and rest for an hour, and sent her reply back.

The next day, Eliza flooed into Jack's home. It was a nice place. It was much larger than her own home, but still modest.

Jack helped her out of his fireplace and brushed some soot off of her shoulder. After properly introducing her to his parents, who were lovely people, Jack led her up to his room.

"What's going on, Eliza?" He asked as soon as he shut his bedroom door.

"Do you read the papers?"

He shook his head. "Not really."

"Do you know about the murder in Hogsmead?"

Jack frowned. "Yes. I heard my parents talking about it."

"She was my mum's coworker. She said something about Hope writing something for the paper and then Voldemort killed her. Or his people did."

Jack winced. "Wow; I don't hear too many people throwing that name around; they say it's cursed."

"Do you know anything about this stuff? My mum wouldn't tell me anything more. I knew about the movement, that they're trying to ban muggle-borns and such."

Jack nodded and sat down on his bed. He motioned for Eliza to join him. "I hear a lot about it around here, what with a lot of my family being in the ministry."

Eliza nodded. "That's why I contacted you."

"Well…this movement's been gaining in popularity. They still haven't been able to pass any laws, which they've been trying to do for a long time, so now they're getting violent. My older brother's an auror. He says people have started disappearing. Mostly muggles…but now it's also muggle-borns or anyone who speaks out against the movement. It was just a few here and there but it's starting to happen more now. And my brother says there's been a lot of muggle murders, it's just not being reported on. But they know it's by magic. It's His followers. They're called…Death Eaters I think he said."

"This is horrible!" Eliza whispered in shock.

Jack nodded gravely. "Well I think the most shocking thing is that people are following along with it. And a lot of it is the pure-blood families; and of course it's them that have the influence. And I also heard…"

"What?" Eliza prompted when Jack paused.

He looked at her seriously. "You can't tell anyone this, okay? My brother wasn't even supposed to say anything."

Eliza nodded.

Jack took a deep breath. "Well…my brother said that they're starting to think there are people starting to act within the Ministry. He even said that they believe some people are being Imperiused."

"What's that?"

"One of the three unforgivable curses. It's illegal. Someone under the Imperius curse is completely under the caster's control."

"Why doesn't somebody do something!?"

"It's not that easy," Jack said patiently. "You can't just go around accusing people. And how do you determine whether someone is or isn't? And besides, even if someone has anti-muggle-born sentiment, that's not a crime. Not unless they act on it. And how could you possibly know if the person sitting at the desk next to you murdered someone last night?"

Eliza was horrified. "This is…"

But she couldn't think of a word. What word could possibly describe what this was? Horrible didn't seem like a powerful enough word.

"What are they going to do?" She asked.

Jack shook his head. "Well, obviously the aurors are trying to catch anyone who's kidnapping or murdering, but it's not like people are turning themselves in. The best anyone can do now is keep fighting for what's right and hope this doesn't get worse."

"And if it does?"

"Then….we're at war."

—

Eliza had hoped being informed would have made her feel better, but she felt a million times worse upon leaving Jack's. Was there really such evil in this world? Such hate? Such ignorance? The thought of it made her want to vomit.

"'Liza dear, you got a letter while you were out. I put it on your desk," Penelope said upon her return.

"Thanks, Mum. I'm going to go read for a bit."

Eliza made her way up to her room. She had no intention of reading. How could she possibly focus on that knowing all that she knew now? All she could think of now was how could she help? What could she do?

There was indeed a letter sitting atop Eliza's desk. She only had to glance at the neat handwriting to know who it was from. A smile slipped on to her lips.

_Eliza,_

_I'm back from France. I brought you something back; I'll give it to you at school._

_I just wanted to check on you and make sure you haven't gotten yourself into any trouble in my absence. I hope your friends aren't making you play chaser again. Didn't Arthur almost break your nose once?_

_Has your father wrote to you?_

_Hope you're well,_

_Regulus_

Welcoming the distraction, Eliza took a seat at her desk and reached for some parchment. It was then that a horrible thought struck her. Did Regulus' family support Voldemort? A sinking feeling in her gut told her yes.

Her thoughts turned to Regulus. The straight and narrow Regulus who did everything by the rules, who always completed his assignments, who always tried to be perfect…especially to his family.

But what a terrible thought! Her Regulus couldn't possibly agree with kidnapping and murder and violence. Not her Regulus who kissed her atop the head and bought her romance novels and gave her flowers? She just couldn't imagine it.

Should she ask him? _Could_ she ask him? It felt awfully accusatory and nasty to ask her best friend if he agreed with Death Eaters. But how else could she be sure? She'd just have to trust her gut. And her gut told her he couldn't be.

Besides, having a family that believed in certain things didn't mean anything. Sirius was a perfect example of this. He shunned anything related to his family. And so Regulus could too. And he would. Because he was _good_.

With her mind decided, Eliza dipped her quill into some ink.

—

"Did you see the notice board this morning?" Midge inquired of her friends one day at breakfast.

"No. Why?" Arthur asked, his nose buried into the essay he was desperately trying to finish.

"First Hogsmead trip is the second weekend of October!"

"Oh, how exciting!" Em said with a smile on her face. "Pattie's been whining about going since the first week of term. She's insisting on going to the Shrieking Shack."

"That's boring," said Parker.

"I agree," Em sighed. "But that's what she wants to do."

"Well Midge and I are stopping at Maestro's Music Shop," Jack said and Midge nodded.

"That sounds way more fun," Em pouted.

"I have to stop at Spintwitches; I need some new keeper gloves. E, you want to come with me?" Parker asked.

"Oh, sure," Eliza said. "As long as we have time to make it to Honeydukes."

"Well duh."

"Maybe we can meet you there," Jack said. "And I'd like to hit The Three Broomsticks. I've been dying for some butterbeer."

"Well I'll meet you _somewhere_," Emlyn said despairingly, until Pattie chose that moment to wander over and her face lit right back up.

—

"Did you see about the Hogsmead trip?" Regulus asked in Potions.

"Oh yes," Eliza replied, adding some asphodel to their potion. "Parker and I are going to pick up some Quidditch supplies."

"Oh."

Something in his tone made Eliza look over.

"But then we're meeting the gang at Honeydukes and then we're going to The Three Broomsticks. Do you want to come?"

"I'm going with some of my friends."

A nagging feeling told Eliza that might not be true.

"You know you're always welcome around my friends…"

"I'm sure _Parker_ wouldn't want me there."

Eliza was nonplussed. "That's nonsense! I'm sure he wouldn't mind-"

"I said I don't want to."

Eliza drew back at the aggression in his voice.

Regulus' face immediately arranged itself into a calmer expression.

"I'm going with some of my friends," he said again, but softer.

"Okay…but if you change your mind…"

"Honeydukes. Yeah."

Eliza didn't understand the bitterness in his tone, but she said nothing further. They continued on in relative silence. When the bell rang, Regulus was out the door before Eliza could even tell him goodbye.

—

"I think Regulus is mad at me," Eliza said sadly as she and Parker made their way towards Hogsmead.

It was a chilly day outside and Eliza wrapped her scarf tighter around her neck to ward off the wind. Parker, who was donning gloves, looked over at her.

"Why do you say that?"

"He's been really…stand-offish that past few weeks. He doesn't say much to me."

"Did you guys have a fight or something?"

"No," Eliza frowned. "I mean…well there was a day in Potions he seemed kind of…I don't know, annoyed at me. But we weren't fighting. At least…I don't think we were. But since then, he's been acting like he's mad at me."

"What were you guys talking about?"

"Just about today. I told him what we were doing and offered for him to come but he shot me down."

"Did he think you guys were hanging out or something?" Parker asked.

"I don't know. Maybe? We hadn't ever really discussed it. And I said he was welcome to come. He said you wouldn't want him there."

"Me?" Parker asked in surprise.

"Yeah," Eliza shook her head, confused.

"Oh…"

"What?" Eliza looked back to the boy.

"Oh. Nothing. Maybe he's just got some other stuff going on right now. It might have nothing to do with you."

Eliza frowned, not satisfied with that answer at all. "Maybe."

By the time the pair arrived in Hogsmead, Eliza's current situation with Regulus was forgotten. Parker told her funny stories all the way to Spintwitches Sporting Needs. Once there, Eliza amused herself greatly watching Parker act like a kid in a candy shop. After he had grabbed the gloves he need, Eliza pulled him away from the latest broom model and they headed towards Honeydukes.

"Maybe I'll pick up some cauldron cakes for Regulus," Eliza mused. "They're his favorite; that'll cheer him up. Actually…I don't know if they're his favorite, but that's what I always buy him."

"He definitely takes you for granted," Parker grinned, steering her down the lane.

Eliza laughed. "Definitely."

Eliza loaded up with sweets but had yet to see their House mates. They found them at The Three Broomsticks.

"You guys didn't meet us as Honeydukes," Eliza said, taking a seat at the table their friends had reserved.

"We figured you probably bought out the store," Em said. Everyone laughed.

"How was the Shrieking Shack?" Parker asked Em and Pattie.

"Nothing special," Pattie announced while Emlyn rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.

"I'll go get us some butterbeers," Parker told Eliza before setting off for the counter.

"How has your day been?" Jack asked.

Eliza shrugged. "Oh fine. Waiting for the day when Parker's in a relationship and I have to watch his girlfriend tell him she's sick of competing with Quidditch."

No one laughed but watched Eliza intently.

"What?" Eliza blinked. "I'd ask if it was 'too soon' but he's nowhere near thirty yet."

"It's nothing," Midge said quickly and Parker arrived with their butterbeers.

Eliza had just taken a swig from hers when she spotted Regulus and a few of his Slytherin friends enter the pub. She noticed Regulus peering around the pub so she smiled and waved at him. She could have sworn he saw her, that their eyes had even locked. But then he looked away and directed his friends to the opposite side of the pub.

Eliza's face fell. "Did you guys see that?"

"What?" Em asked, following Eliza's stare.

"He completely ignored me…"

Parker shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Well ignore him then," Pattie said before asking Midge how she possibly got her hair to lay so nice.

Eliza only continued to watch Regulus. She saw him say something that made his friends laugh. Saddened, and still completely unaware of what she'd done to make Regulus mad, she turned back to her friends.

—

Emlyn and Midge had tried to talk Eliza out of her plan. Midge told her to respect Regulus' space and let him work through whatever he was going through. Emlyn told her it made her a bit psychotic. But Eliza ignored them both.

It'd been nearly a month and Regulus was still acting frosty towards her and she was sick of it. If it was something going on in his life, then she was going to help. If it was something she did, she wanted to know.

She waited for a day when they didn't have classes together; that way he wouldn't expect it. She followed him covertly as he left Charms, which got rather complicated around the grand staircase with the influx of bodies headed for an early dinner. But the traffic ebbed away as Regulus made for the dungeons. Eliza waited for him to pass a small alcove in the corridor before rushing up, grabbing him by the neck of the robes, and dragging him into the alcove.

"What the hell, Eliza!?" Regulus hissed, adjusting his robes.

"Spit it out, Regulus," Eliza said adamantly, giving him no room to make her doubt her plan. "You've been giving me the cold shoulder for a month now and I want to know what I've done."

Regulus gazed at her determined face for a moment before crossing his arms and looking away. "You haven't done anything."

"Then why are you mad at me?"

Regulus looked back at her. "I'm not mad at you."

"Then what the hell!?"

Regulus glanced away again, his fingers drumming against his crossed arms. What Eliza wouldn't give to know what he was thinking. Finally, he sighed.

"It's not you. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so rude to you."

Eliza was unconvinced. "That doesn't explain anything."

Regulus really looked like he was struggling, but Eliza had no idea why. Regulus was still looking anywhere but at her.

"It's…"

"Yes…?"

"Sirius."

"Sirius?" Eliza blinked in surprise. "Have you been having trouble with him again?"

Regulus shrugged. "Kind of. Nothing major so you don't need to worry. I guess it's just been getting to me more than I realized."

Eliza's gaze softened. "Regulus…you know I want you to talk to me about these things."

"I know. I'm sorry."

Eliza sighed but still reached to him, wrapping him in a hug. "Just tell me next time, okay?"

"Okay." Regulus gave her a kiss atop her head. She'd believed him.

**Author's Note:**

**I've never been quite pleased with the ending to this chapter. Hm...I'm still not pleased; but I wasn't sure what else to write. Sorry guys!**

**I'd like to announce that I've officially finished the story! It will have 21 chapters (192 pages). And probably a bonus chapter if you'd guys like.**

**Reviews are toddlers that go to bed as soon as they're told and fall right to sleep.**


	8. Of Failures and Triumphs

**08\. Of Failures and Triumphs**

"Why did they even invite us out here?" Arthur asked, teeth chattering. "What was the point in inviting us to Quidditch practice? To make us freeze like them? What kind of friends would ask that of us?"

"Not very good ones," Eliza replied, not looking up from her book.

"Why did we agree?" Arthur ran his hands over his arms in an attempt to warm himself.

"They're low maintenance friends; we have to indulge them sometimes."

"What are you reading?" Arthur peered down at the pages.

"Oh Regulus wants to start working on the Patronus charm so I'm reading up on it."

"Why are you working on that? Isn't that a complex spell?"

Eliza shrugged. "It does require a lot of concentration and power. But seeing as we're on the brink of war, best to learn all we can now. Plus I've heard it can be used to deliver messages, which would be dead useful."

"Oh. Well I'm sure you won't have any trouble with it."

"I don't want Regulus to show me up."

"I wouldn't be worried. You're just as good at Defense as he is."

"Don't tell him that," Eliza shot him a sly smile.

"Are you guys going to Slughorn's party?" Arthur asked.

Eliza nodded.

"But like…together?"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh well I was just thinking that Parker might like to go. He's the only one who hasn't gotten to go to one of his parties," Arthur shrugged.

"You haven't been," Eliza pointed out.

Arthur waved his hand dismissively. "I don't have any interest. And I'm sure no one there would have an interest in me."

Eliza elbowed him in the ribs. "Stop selling yourself short."

Arthur shrugged. "Well I just thought, since you could invite someone, Parker just might like to go."

Eliza glanced up to Parker. He was hovering in front of the goal post. She watched as Em threw the quaffle at the third goalpost and Parker blocked it. "If he wants to go, he definitely can. Regulus and I don't even spend that much time together at them anyway. He's always 'making connections'."

Arthur chuckled. "Well I'm sure he'll be pleased to be asked."

—

"Really? You want me to go?" Parker blinked in surprise, sitting up from laying in front of the fireplace.

"Well if you want to, that is."

"O-of course! That'd be great!" Parker gave Eliza his winning smile.

She smiled in return. "Great!"

But as she said it, the smile slipped off of Parker's face. "But what about Regulus?"

Eliza waved her hand airily. "We don't even spend that much time together during the parties. Usually I talk to Lily Evans or someone."

Parker was still frowning. "But…"

Eliza frowned. "What?"

"I just…I'm not so sure Regulus likes me very much. He might get huffy at you again if you take me."

"Why would Regulus not like you?"

Parker looked like he was about to say something, but caught himself. Instead his lips puckered in thought. "I…I don't know, E. But I don't want him getting mad at you again."

"I'll talk to him," Eliza waved away his concern, but the seed of doubt had been planted.

Over the last month, Eliza had felt that her friendship with Regulus had been strained. While not cold towards her as he'd been after the Hogsmead incident, he was more aloof and spent limited time with her. She'd tried to ask him if there was something going on, a reason for his distance, but he kept telling her she was paranoid.

And now she couldn't help the echoing of Parker's words in her head. Would this set their friendship off again? He had said it was because of Sirius last time. But what if he'd been lying and trying to spare her feelings?

Troubled but powerless, Eliza had no choice but to accept what would come. She'd just tell Regulus she was bringing a friend and see how he reacted. She couldn't see why it would matter. As she'd told Arthur and Parker, they spent little time together at the parties. Here and there Regulus would find her to excitedly tell her about someone he'd spoken with, or he'd drag her with to speak with someone, but mostly she mingled on her own or took up a table with Lily, discussing any matter of things.

Still, the next day Eliza sat beside Regulus in DADA with butterflies aflutter in her stomach. She unpacked her things, took a deep breath, and looked over at Regulus. He was already watching her, a quizzical look set upon his face.

"What did you do?"

Eliza blinked. "What? I didn't do anything."

"Oh. You look guilty of something," Regulus narrowed his eyes playfully at her.

A smile slipped onto her face. "Oh shut up! I was just going to ask you if you're going to Slughorn's party?"

Regulus quirked an eyebrow. "We go every year."

"Just checking," Eliza raised her hands in defense. "I was going to bring a friend this year."

"Oh. Okay," Regulus said, looking back to his book.

"That's it?"

Regulus looked back up, confused. "What? You want a parade or something?"

Eliza swatted his arm.

"I don't care if you bring a friend," Regulus said and there was no detection in his face or voice that this was a lie.

Eliza suddenly felt a little silly. "Well okay then. And for the record, a parade would be nice."

Regulus rolled his eyes. "You women, always needing _something_."

Regulus was not amused when his hair turned pink. But Eliza giggled for an entire minute until he was able to change the color back.

—

Parker was practically skipping down to Slughorn's party on the last day of term. Eliza was amused and couldn't help but notice he was much brighter company than Regulus usually was. Since she was bringing Parker, Regulus wouldn't need to wait for her at the stairs this time and was going directly to the party.

"Oho! Miss Adwell! And who's this? You look familiar," Slughorn said to Parker, sloshing a bit of his drink down his front. By the pink tinge on his cheeks, Eliza guessed that Slughorn was several drinks deep already.

"Uh…Parker….Parker McKinnon. Sir, I'm in the same class with Eliza…" Parker was beginning to look a little unsure.

"Of course, of course!" Slughorn said but he appeared to have already checked out of the conversation.

"Happy Christmas, Sir," Eliza said, biting back a laugh, and tugging Parker into the room with her.

They stopped to grab some punch.

"Is he always like that?" Parker whispered.

Eliza giggled. "Professor Slughorn enjoys his parties. Oh! There's Lily; come on you have to meet her!"

Eliza grabbed Parker's hand once more and dragged him over to Lily Evans.

"Lily!"

"Oh, Eliza, hi! How are you?" Lily beamed, giving Eliza a quick hug.

"I'm good! How are you?"

Lily shrugged and brushed some red hair away from her face. "Oh you know how it is. Who is this?"

"This is my friend, Parker McKinnon."

Parker waved. "Hello. I've heard so much about you."

"Good things I hope," Lily playfully glared at Eliza.

"The best," Parker said, flashing her his charming grin.

"Are you in Hufflepuff too?" Lily asked.

"Oh yeah. The hat almost put me in Gryffindor but, in the end, he sent me to Hufflepuff."

Lily shook her head. "What a shame."

Eliza spit her tongue out at the red head.

"Where's Regulus tonight?" Lily asked, twisting her neck back and forth as though to find him.

Eliza shrugged. "He's flying solo this evening."

Lily frowned. "Are you sure of that?"

"What do you mean?" Eliza asked, but she followed Lily's line of sight and saw immediately what she meant.

Regulus was not alone, it seemed. He had seated himself at a high table with a girl with long black hair. Eliza tried to place her but she only seemed vaguely familiar. An older Slytherin was her best guess. As Eliza watched, she flipped her hair over her shoulder while laughing at something Regulus said.

Eliza's stomach flipped uncomfortably.

"Are you okay?" Lily asked, noticing a shift in Eliza's demeanor.

Eliza blinked and looked back to her friends, confused to see looks of unease on their faces.

"What do you mean? Of course I'm okay."

Lily just shrugged but quickly changed the subject, drawing Parker into a conversation with her. Eliza tried to focus, but her eyes kept going back to the pretty girl with Regulus. He was smiling at her. _Charmingly_. Another uncomfortable flip in her belly.

What is up with me? Eliza wondered. Maybe it's something in the punch.

"Maybe I should go say hi to Regulus," Eliza mused.

"Why would you do that?" Lily asked fiercely.

Eliza was taken aback by the forcefulness. "Well….I haven't spoken to him yet…"

Lily crossed her arms. "Are you sure it doesn't have anything to do with his companion?"

"What? Why would I care about her? Although I admit being curious about her; he's never mentioned having a female friend. Maybe I should ask her name?"

"She's probably just someone he knew at the party," Lily said flippantly, trying desperately to draw her back into conversation.

Eliza frowned but obliged since it seemed so important to Lily that she remain where she was. Which was weird. Maybe Lily just needed her so she didn't have to talk to someone she didn't want to? With one last glance at Regulus, who was looking back, Eliza blinked but shot him a smile and small wave before glancing away and tried to emerge herself into Parker's attempt to change Lily's view on his favorite team.

Eliza never got the chance to speak with Regulus the rest of the party. She found herself quite busy introducing Parker to the usual visitors that normally came to these parties. Quite a few already knew of the McKinnons, who had made their mark on the magical world in ways of their own. By the time the party was winding down, Regulus was no longer in sight.

"What's wrong, E? You look upset?" Parker said as they left the party.

"Well…I have Regulus' Christmas present. Or I should say I was going to conjure it. I was hoping to see him before we left for the holidays. We always meet…"

Parker frowned. "Well…maybe he hasn't gone back to his dorm yet? Do you know where the Slytherin common room is?"

"Vaguely," she said but she had already conjured her package from thin air, grabbed Parker's wrist with her free hand and was dragging him in the proper direction.

And so the search began, not that it was a very elaborate search. The corridors were long and there weren't a lot of classrooms to check. In the end, Parker and Eliza were able to find Regulus. He was secreted into a dark alcove that the Hufflepuffs nearly passed over. Parker wished they had passed it over it. For, Regulus was indeed inside, but he was pressed against the pretty long-haired Slytherin, who was bestowing him with a rather wet-sounding kiss.

Parker glanced over to Eliza, but she was still as stone, her gaze transfixed on the sight before her. Her lips were parted just slightly but most of her face was cast in shadow. The torches only illuminated the golden curls tumbling down her back.

Parker wanted to get her out of there before anyone noticed, but just as Parker took a step forward and gently grabbed Eliza's hand, the pair of Slytherin's broke apart. Clearly the pretty girl had felt the eyes of an audience and she turned her soft face to Eliza and Parker, a hand going to a rounded hip.

"Uh…can we help you?"

Eliza was silent, still frozen. She had her brightly wrapped package clutched to her chest with the hand not held by Parker. Parker dared a glance at Regulus' face. He was looking at Eliza but his face was impassive. The girl was still staring at them expectantly.

"Eliza…" Parker said softly into her ear. He tugged at her hand. "Eliza, we have to go."

As if woken from a trance, Eliza's body jerked. The gift meant for Regulus fell to the ground, and the smashing sound it made indicted whatever was inside had broken. Tightening her grasp on Parker's hand, she turned on her heel and marched Parker down the hallway.

"Eliza…" Parker tried carefully as they neared their own Common Room. She didn't answer. "Eliza…." She was tapping on the barrels and one slid open.

"Eliza!" Parker halted her march as the entered the Common Room with a hard tug of her hand. This forced her to pivot toward him and for the first time, Parker saw her face.

Her normal pale face, gently littered with freckles, was red, yet ashen. He could see no visible tears but curls were sticking to the sides of her face. Parker moved slowly and gently to push them away. Still, Eliza remained silent.

"'liza…." Parker said as softly as he could. "Are you okay?"

"Of course I'm okay!" She suddenly said shrilly. "Why wouldn't I be okay?"

Parker shifted his feet uncomfortably. "Regulus…"

"Why should I care," Eliza narrowed her eyes as if challenging Parker, crossing her arms tightly across her chest. "Last I checked he's allow to snog whomever he wants. He doesn't need permission from me."

"Then why…"

"I'm **fine**, Parker!"

There was a ringing silence that followed. Eliza was still glaring, holding her ground. Parker sighed.

"Okay, E….are you ready for bed?"

Slowly, Eliza unwound her arms. With the fight flooding out of her, she suddenly looked vulnerable and tired. Looking so endearingly sweet, she nodded.

Parker reached forwards, grabbing both of Eliza's hands in his. "Thank you for taking me tonight, Eliza…"

And what happened next would never be talked about. Never acknowledged in any way. But on this night, on the eve of Christmas Eve, alone in the Common Room with its fire burning down to glowing red embers and one soft light left on on a nearby table, Eliza and Parker each had their first kiss, if one is discounting a five-year-old neighbor of Parker's one summer day in his mother's garden.

It was sweet and awkward, as first kisses tend to be, and it lasted just a moment. They pulled away and stared at each other. Not in horror, not in embarrassment. They didn't say goodnight, they'd just done that, and so they turned their backs to one another and made their way to bed.

—

The next morning, the entire school gathered their items and made their way to Hogsmead. Eliza and her friends found a cabin to themselves and had an Exploding Snap tournament.

Neither Eliza nor Parker brought up what had happened the evening before. That sat beside each other on the Hogwarts Express, just as comfortable with each other as ever. There was no awkwardness to detect and their friends had no idea anything had happened.

Within her head, however, Eliza's mind was abuzz. She thought about Regulus, saw him in that alcove with the pretty black-haired girl. Eliza approached the thought with care, probing at her feelings gently as a doctor might. Whenever she felt something, she pulled back; afraid of her own feelings. But she'd gently return.

The thought of the lip-lock made her stomach burn acidly and there was a strange pressure in her chest. It was…bothering her. But why? Regulus can kiss who he wants. Maybe it was _her_. He'd ignored Eliza all night because he was with _her_. He didn't even say goodbye to her before they left for a few weeks. Because of _her_. There was that burning again. So that must be it! Just simply be upset that Regulus didn't say goodbye to his best friend because of some _girl_.

And speaking of, when had Regulus ever been interested in girls? What was it about her that was special? There was that burning feeling again.

Just then Parker's arm brushed against Eliza's, tugging at her concentration. She glanced at him to see him make his move. Eliza's mind turned to him.

They'd kissed last night. A small flutter of butterflies came to life in her tummy. It was a delicate feeling. Just a little flip in her tummy that left her with a small moment of excitement.

Why did he do it? Was it out of pity? A way to make her feel better? Kind of seemed like a strange way to do that? Unless he thought he'd make her even with Regulus or something? Which was silly, because she was fine with Regulus kissing people. Ugh, there was that stomach twinge again.

Regardless, Eliza glanced at Parker fondly. It had been a nice kiss, and she was glad he'd been there for her. In fact, she felt closer to him than ever now. She shifted closer to him, just because she felt a rush of adoration, and paid more attention to the tournament before she lost.

—

Penelope Fawcett had lost weight, Eliza noticed. Her clothes hung a little looser, her cheeks didn't look as full as they usually did. She looked tired.

Eliza didn't mention it when she saw her on the platform. Instead she ran to her, wrapping her in a hug. Eliza could _feel_ that her mother had lost weight. Still, she did not comment. She let her mother plant a kiss atop her head and lead her home.

As they settled down for dinner, however, Eliza ventured into risky waters. "How is work?"

She didn't really need to ask. Penelope worked in the Misuse of Magic Office and with the rebellion, she was working overtime constantly. Eliza could see it in her face.

Penelope sighed, pushing around the salad on her plate. "We've been busy. It used to be carelessness, or children who couldn't control their power but now…it's more and more…"

Penelope broke off. But Eliza could guess what she meant. Once upon a time she caught mean-spirit pranksters who would give a muggle "incurable" hiccups but now…it was sinister. Houses were being broken and looted and burned, muggles tortured and killed. And now the horror was beginning to spread into their own magical world.

"Mum," Eliza reached across the table and took her mother's hand. "You can't keep going like this. You're running yourself ragged."

"I don't have a choice. We're all like this. I can't let everyone down."

"Can't they pull people from other departments? I mean, come on, what is Richie doing up there in his cushy office of Quidditch League Headquarters?"

Penelope's lips twitched into a smile. "I'm not sure he'd be much of a help."

"Well you know what I mean. Start pulling people from the departments that can do without for now. We're facing open rebellion; it's time to start prioritizing."

Penelope's eyes misted over and she squeezed Eliza's hand. She looked sad, but proud, scared, but nostalgic.

"When did you grow up?" She whispered tearfully.

Eliza didn't know how to reply; or whether this warranted a reply. So Eliza got to her feet and moved over to her mother. She gave her a hug and then lowered herself to the floor so she could lay her head in her mother's lap. It brought her back to being five-years-old and everything was okay. And her mother would be baking a lemon pie because it was her father's favorite. And Eliza would bring the wilting flowers on the table back to life because she had a measurable control over her powers.

But it was just an illusion. That innocent time was gone and they'd never have it again. Eliza's heart ached to remember it, to keep it close to her, but it was destined to float away from her, as she did not belong in this past. But her mother leaned forward and started brushing the hair out of Eliza's face and Eliza was allowed to remain in the past for just a little longer.

—

Despite Penelope's exhaustion, Christmas day was just as it always was. They had Christmas lunch, followed by Christmas Day pudding. They were about to retire to the sitting room for tea when there was a pecking sound coming from the kitchen window.

Eliza moved to the window, opening it to allow a handsome black owl onto the sill. It immediately held out its leg, attached to which was a package wrapped in shiny red foil. Eliza untied the package and the owl immediately flew away.

"Is that a package for you?" Penelope called from the sitting room, already setting up the tea.

"I think so," Eliza said, recognizing the owl.

She brought the package to the table and unwrapped it. She opened the box to find it contained a glass badger. A smile slipped onto her lips.

_"Still with your corny books, huh?" Regulus smirked, spotting Eliza's book in her bag as she zipped it up._

_"Yes," she replied indignantly, swinging her pack over her shoulder and following the influx of students into the hallway._

_Regulus chucked. "You have to stop reading those…or there will be dire consequences."_

_Eliza rolled her eyes. "Like what?"_

_Regulus leaned in towards her ear. "You'll turn into an old cat lady."_

_"Regulus Arcturus Black!" Eliza screeched, gaining a few surprised looks from their classmates as she slapped him in the arm. "You take that back!"_

_Regulus stopped, placing a hand on her cheek. He looked morose. "It's…it's too late!"_

_Eliza hit him again as he laughed and they started walking again. She pouted up at him. "Just for that, I'm going to get you the corniest thing I can think of for Christmas!"_

True to her word, Eliza had crafted the corniest gift she could think of. Using some difficult magic, she had created two glass figurines, above the size of a music box. One figurine was a snake and one was a badger. She's wrapped them in a single box to give to Regulus with a note saying that whenever one of them tapped their wand against their glass statue, the other's statue would magically light up from inside, signaling they were thinking of one another.

Eliza had thought they'd smash the night she found Regulus in that alcove. She'd dropped the package and it had definitely sounded as though her beautiful statues had broken. But Regulus must have repaired them. Smiling, Eliza lifted the badger out of the box, finding that it also contained a note.

_Definitely not the corniest thing you could have given to me._

A warm feeling spreading through her heart, Eliza took her wand from her sweatshirt pocket and gently tapped it against the badger. For a long moment, it remained as it was. Just as Eliza was setting it down, planning to join her mother, a gentle yellow light shown from inside the badger, reflecting against the glass.

A smile that would not die caused Eliza's face to glow with happiness. She moved to join her mother, knowing that both she and Regulus were thinking about one another.

—

The twenty-sixth of December found Eliza sitting on the edge of her bed, holding a box in her hand. It was wrapped in silver and blue foil, a ribbon and bow painstakingly decorating it. She'd sat there all morning, wondering if she should really gift the present.

She'd mentioned it to her mother this morning, immediately wiping the smile from her face. In it's place came a worried frown and furrowed brow.

"Eliza honey…I support you whatever you want to do…but he hasn't tried to contact you…" Penelope said gently.

Eliza kept her gaze on her trainers. "I know Mum…but…it's Christmas…"

Penelope was quiet for a long time. Eliza knew she was trying to spare her the same heartbreak her mother had gone through. But he was her dad; the only one she'd ever have. She couldn't just let the relationship fade to nothing, not without trying. And if her dad wasn't going to try, then she was going to make the move.

But she was afraid. Afraid that her father wouldn't accept her, not with her magic. But her magic was apart of her and if he wanted her then he had to accept all of her.

Eliza knew this could very well be the break. Maybe she'd never see him again. But she'd bought him this gift. Maybe he would find enjoyment in it. And if he could, then he could find enjoyment in his magical daughter.

Finally, Eliza got to her feet, present in hand, and walked downstairs. She told her mother she was going and that she'd take a taxi to get there. Her mother insisted she be nearby incase things went awry. Eliza shook her head, she wanted to go into this with a positive outlook. This could be the beginning of rekindling her relationship with her father.

And so Eliza took a taxi to her father's place, package clutched to her chest. She made her way to his door, package clutched to her chest. She rang the doorbell, the door opened, and she clutched the package even tighter.

The beer belly that Eliza remembered from two summers ago was larger and barely contained beneath a stained t-shirt. He'd grown a beard, bushy and scratchy-looking, streaked with gray. His eyes were red as he peered down at his daughter.

"Happy Christmas, Dad," Eliza said quietly.

Brant Adwell watched her for a long, silent moment before opening the door wider and admitting Eliza inside.

"I didn't know you would be coming," he finally said, heading into the kitchen. A moment later Eliza realized it was for a beer.

Eliza looked around herself. It was dark and bare here. No pictures lined the walls. There was no kitchen table. There was a breakfast bar but it was littered with old beer cans and take-out containers.

"Sorry I didn't write ahead," Eliza said, following her father into the sitting room. He took a seat in his recliner.

Brant grunted, opening the beer. Eliza felt her heart start to sink. This was not starting as well as she might have hoped.

"How is work?" Eliza tried.

Brant took a swig of his beer, a little dribbling into his unkempt beard. "They laid me off four months ago."

"O-Oh…I'm sorry…"

Silence.

Eliza tapped her foot nervously on the ground, eyes roaming around the room with no goal, searching her brain for a conversation starter. Finally, Eliza thought it might just be time for the moment of truth.

"I…I got you a present…" Eliza said uncertainly, stepping forward and depositing her beautifully-wrapped gift into her father's lap.

Slowly, her father set down his beer and eyed the gift. Eliza held her breath as he opened it, dropping the wrapping to the floor. The box was opened and Brant Adwell pulled out a glass bottle. The glass was clear but the liquid inside was a molten gold color. A black label was wrapped around it, adorned with red cursive writing.

"What is this?" Brant asked gruffly.

"It-It's firewhiskey…it's really popular! It supposed to be really good-"

"You brought this from your world?" Brant eyes narrowed at his daughter, his grasp tightening on the bottle.

"W-well…I thought you might like it…"

"What would make you believe I want this rubbish!" He was on his feet now, breathing heavily, his red eyes glaring.

Eliza's eyes were wide, tears pooling in them. She could smell the alcohol practically radiating off of him.

"I-I just thought…you might like it…" Eliza said shakily.

Her father sniffed derisively. "I don't want anything to do with your world, you hear me!?"

"Dad…._I'm_ part of that world…"

He was glaring at her, his pupils constricted. His face was red and there was a bit of sweat beaded around his receding hairline. He was looking down at her as though she were something unpleasant he'd stepped in.

And just then, Eliza's heart snapped. He couldn't handle the magical world-wouldn't. The thought of magic enraged him.

What did he see what he looked at her? Did he see the copper-colored eyes and the golden curls? The high cheek bones he also possessed? The heartbreak in her face?

Or did he just see a monster? His creation that turned into a curse. Reminding him that he was not special, that he could never have what this girl had? Could never be anything more than ordinary.

Eliza could never know for sure what he thought, but she realized something just then. That the man that stood before her was not her father, not anymore. He was not the man who would carry her on his shoulders so she could touch the leaves of a tree. He was not the man who read her bedtime stories of princesses trapped in a tower.

He would never hug her again. Never tell her how much he loved her. Never walk her down the aisle. Never love her own children.

And so, it didn't matter if Brant Adwell planned to voice the thoughts Eliza did not know. For she didn't give him the chance. She spun on her heels and walked towards the door, wrenching it open. She didn't look back as she swung it closed.

She sprinted away from the building as fast she she could, the tears stinging her eyes. So heavy they were that she could not see where she was going. But she ran down the sidewalk. And when that one ended she ran down the next one.

It was snowing and cold but Eliza felt none of it. She only felt disappointment. And lost. And anger at herself that she thought she was enough to pull her father from this hate.

The sun was beginning to set by the time Eliza stopped running. She just stopped, not slowing down, but suddenly. She took in heavy gasps of air that seemed to stab at her lungs. Slowly, she looked about herself and realized she had no idea where she was or how long she'd run.

She was in the middle of no where. It looked to be a dirty side of town, with weathered apartment buildings spaced here and there. There was no one outside; she was alone.

Stubbornly, Eliza wiped at her eyes with the cuff of her coat. She didn't know what to do. She wanted to run some more, to scream at the top of her lungs, but she could do neither. She wanted to lay in the snow until she grew numb, hoping it would seep into her heart and make it numb as well. But she could not do this either. She could not use magic.

She would have to go home, she knew, least she succumb to the cold. But she didn't want her mother to see her tears. Didn't want to see that look that would tell her that her mother knew this was going to happen. She didn't want the pity.

Regardless, Eliza reached into her pocket and withdrew her wand, and stuck it out in front of her. A second later, a bus screeched in front of her, it's headlights illuminating the sad neighborhood. The door opened and out hopped a portly man wearing an overly large navy blue jacket.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out you wand hand, step on board, and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Daniel Abby, and I will be your conductor for this evening. Where to miss?"

Eliza gave him the address, fished into her jacket for the proper coins and boarded the bus. It was a short ride home and Eliza found herself at home before the sun had completely set.

Penelope was waiting for Eliza in the kitchen. Eliza didn't want to talk with her but her mother immediately came forward, wrapping her in a hug.

"Oh, 'liza….I'm so sorry."

Eliza said nothing but held back the tears. She didn't want to cry, not anymore.

"I'm going to bed, Mum…I'm tired," Eliza said quietly against her mother's chest.

Penelope pulled back. "Don't you want some supper?"

Eliza only shook her head and, without another word, made her way to her room.

Once there, Eliza didn't bother turning on the light. She threw off her jacket and flung herself onto her bed, curling into a ball. She willed the tears she knew wanted to come, to come, but they didn't. Because of course the tears wouldn't fall when it was convenient to her.

But she willed away the time lost in memories. In summer days spent at the park. In Christmas mornings and Halloween. She could still hear the laughter. But the further she dug into her memories, the more she could see her father growing more and more unhappy. The laughter grew quieter, the smiles fewer. And then the memory of their leaving came.

Eliza had no way of knowing how long she was consumed in her self pity before there was a knock on the door. Eliza huddled tighter into a ball. The knock came again. Eliza still didn't answer. The knock came again.

Huffing, Eliza sat up. "Mum, I told you-"

The door opened and the light from the hallway spilled into the dark room. Eliza blinked furiously as her eyes adjusted to the light. This is when she saw that it was not her mother coming to collect her for supper, but Regulus Black.

Eliza immediately sat upright, acutely aware that Regulus Black was in her bedroom. Regulus felt against the wall and flicked on the light, making Eliza duck her head to avoid searing pain in her eyes. By the time she raised her head, Regulus was moving around the room, taking everything in with interest.

"So this is where you write your letters to me?" Regulus said conversationally, stopping in front of her desk. "There's not even a picture of me. Where do you get your inspiration then?"

Eliza rolled her eyes.

"I notice your rag-tag bunch are framed here. That hurts Adwell."

"Regulus, what are you doing here?" Eliza asked, stopping his commentary.

Regulus turned to look at her. "Your mother contacted me."

Eliza's eyebrows shot up so far they became unseen behind her bangs.

"She also told me about today. Not one of your better ones then, huh?"

Eliza sighed and fell back on her bed, throwing her arm over her eyes. "Do you know what it's like to be hated by your parent?"

Eliza felt Regulus lay down beside her. "No…but I know what it's like to have a complicated family."

Eliza turned her head so she could look at Regulus. "But you _could_ talk to Sirius if you wanted to."

Regulus frowned. "I wouldn't be so sure of that."

"Just because you're different-"

"That's the problem, Eliza. We're too different."

Eliza frowned. "I don't think that's true. I think you're a lot more like Sirius than you realize."

Regulus' face contorted into disgust.

Eliza continued before he could retaliate. "You know, that's not a bad thing. Sirius has some good qualities…when he's not being a git."

Regulus rolled his eyes. "He's _always_ being a git."

Eliza took Regulus' hand. "I think the problem is, he's not enough like you."

Regulus looked at her then, and the breath caught in Eliza's throat. His eyes were so…._open_. For just a moment, they were a portal to his soul; but Eliza only had a moment before he turned his head away, returning his gaze to the ceiling. Eliza turned her gaze back to the ceiling as well.

After a long moment of silence, Regulus spoke up. "You shouldn't want to change just for him."

"I don't. I want him to change for me…"

Regulus squeezed her hand; a reassuring gesture that said he understood. And in that moment, Eliza had never been more connected to anyone.

The two lapsed into a silence, but it was a comfortable silence. They each continued to stare into the ceiling, lost in their own thoughts. They stayed like that for ages, until Penelope appeared in the doorway.

"Regulus, it's pretty late. Are you ready to head home?"

Regulus nodded, untwining his fingers from Eliza's and getting to his feet. Penelope walked away, presumably to ready the fireplace for transportation.

"Regulus."

Regulus stopped and turned around. Eliza pushed herself off of her bed. Reaching Regulus, she wrapped him in a hug. No words needed to be said. Regulus embraced her back for a long moment before planting a kiss on her head and departing.

—

Upon returning to school, Regulus and Eliza began to use their free time to shut themselves in empty classrooms to practice the Patronus charm. Eliza had done the reading, practiced the wand movements, but now it was time to make it happen. If only it were that simple.

Winter gave way to spring and with it came its harsh winds and rain; lots and lots of rain. And failure of course; at least, in the eyes of Regulus and Eliza. Regulus took their lack of success the hardest. Come April, the most they had managed were wisps and, if they were lucky, shields of silver.

One particularly rainy Friday found Regulus and Eliza sitting atop desks in a dusty classroom, feeling defeated. Eliza had managed a particularly strong shield, but as neither of them had produced a corporeal patronus, they doubted they'd win in a fight against a dementor.

"Maybe you're not thinking happy enough thoughts?" Regulus suggested, sitting atop the instructor's desk.

Eliza glared at him ruefully as he produced another stream of translucent silver.

"Well what are _you_ thinking about?"

"Nice try," Regulus deadpanned.

Eliza sighed and rummaged through her memories. She'd tried the memory of when she received her Hogwart's letter. She'd tried the memory of being sorted into Hufflepuff. She'd tried the memories of Slughorn's praise. None of it had been powerful enough.

What makes me happy? Eliza asked herself.

Memories flowed over her. Regulus kissing the top of her head. Parker being an overgrown child in the Quidditch supplies store. Laying in bed with Midge and Emlyn giggling about boys. Regulus sliding into the bench during lunch. Hours in the Common Room, essays uncompleted and forgotten.

The book said to focus on one specific memory, but the slideshow in her mind kept flashing. Arthur begging Midge for forgiveness when he'd caused her a bloody nose. Jack arm and arm with Midge. Emlyn snorting over Pattie's jokes. Regulus holding her hand as they walked the Hogwarts grounds.

"Expecto patronum," she murmured as the scenes played behind her closed eyelids. She opened her eyes to find the silver light she produced materializing.

"You're doing it!" Regulus exclaimed excitedly and it became another scene in her head.

And an hour later, so did the scene of watching two silver animals soaring around the classroom. Regulus' borzoi running and jumping and her dolphin flipping and gliding.

Regulus praise had given Eliza more strength and her patronus had taken form. She almost cried in happiness when it glided across the room for the first time, flipping in imaginary water periodically. Regulus had begun grinning too and as if spirited by her success, two attempts later found a large dog bursting from the end of his wand.

Now the two lay atop the instructor's desk, their heads beside each other but their legs laying across the opposite side of the desk. They watched their creations illuminating the room, sometimes gliding so close to their bodies that they shined as bright as their spells.

"We did it Eliza," Regulus whispered, almost in awe.

Eliza smiled in response. They _had_ done it. They were stronger than before and it put a sense of ease in Eliza's heart. Come what may, they would be ready because they'd become stronger together. If only they hadn't needed to be stronger. If only.

**Author's Note:**

**For my reader who's been reviewing every chapter: I heart you, and you're a rockstar.**

**Reviews are coffee, biscottis and a book on rainy Saturday.**


	9. To Fight

**09\. To Fight**

**Note: This chapter references mature content. Please be advised.**

Penelope Fawcett apparated just inside the foyer. The distinctive sound roused Eliza from her light dozing and she picked herself up from the couch. Her _History of Magic_ text lay abandoned on the coffee table.

"Eliza, what are you doing down here so late?" Penelope asked as she hung up her cloak and Eliza greeted her.

Eliza wiped the sleep from her eyes. "I was doing my homework. You're home late again."

Penelope sighed, moving into the kitchen, Eliza at her heels. "I'm sorry. It was another busy day."

Eliza frowned, focusing on the dark bags beneath her mother's eyes.

"I wish you didn't work so hard," Eliza said.

Penelope slumped down into a chair. "Me too."

Eliza moved to the fridge to extract the dinner she'd saved. Heating it on the stove, she brought it to her mother.

"Was it bad?" Eliza asked carefully, sitting opposite her mother.

"An entire muggle family has gone missing. We brought in the aurors but last I heard they hadn't made any headway."

"How can you be sure it was _them_?"

"Unmistakable signs of magic," Penelope said glumly.

Eliza frowned. It was like this most days and each day, her anxiety grew fiercer. The movement was growing stronger and it was terrifying. Eliza felt the desire to _do_ something, but she was fourteen and, as her mother constantly reminded her, there was little she could do.

Penelope suggested Eliza use this drive at Hogwarts. She could combat any anti-muggle/muggle-born sentiment that might be growing there. Eliza swore that she would. And in the meantime, Eliza trained. Over the summer, she couldn't practice magic, but she armed herself with knowledge. Her room was covered in books filled with charms, hexes and other things she needed to know to make a difference in the rebellion when she graduated.

Her friends were a great support system in her learning. Noticing how dedicated she'd become to the cause, they took after her example. They'd spent all summer writing back and forth, recommending books and sharing stories.

Regulus was also a great source of information. He read more books than anyone and always had ideas to share. Although Eliza couldn't help but realize the spells he recommended tended to be more destructive in nature than defensive.

By the time September rolled around, Eliza was feeling filled with purpose. She felt stronger than ever, smarter than ever. She sat with her friends aboard The Hogwarts Express and there was much time allotted to what they would learn this semester and what they would teach themselves. A list was drawn up of the spells they'd read about and intended to practice. They were going to make the most of this year.

—

The first day of classes was always the hardest. No one was particularly bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as they sat at the breakfast table, looking over their schedules. Emlyn was particularly grumbly as she tiredly muttered things into her oatmeal. She perked up, however, when Pattie Quinn sat herself at their table.

"Good morning, Hufflepuffs!" She said in a sing-song voice.

"Ugh, you're way to chipper in the morning," Em rolled her eyes but she smiled.

"Well I figured I'd best enjoy my happiness before it's sucked out of me this year," Pattie said. She was a year ahead of them and would be taking her OWLs this year.

"You make a good point," Parker said, not looking up from his eggs.

Pattie nodded. "Make sure you guys enjoy this year while you can."

"We'll do our best," Jack rolled his eyes.

"Oh hush," Midge said, flinging a grape at him.

"I'd better get to class," Pattie announced getting to her feet.

On cue, Em tilted her head up, Pattie bowed hers and planted a kiss on her lips.

Arthur and Midge broke out into an applause as Pattie took her leave while Jack and Parker rolled their eyes and muttered "finally" under their breath.

"Em!" Eliza screeched. "When did this happen!?"

Emlyn shrugged, reaching for a piece of toast. "Over the summer."

"And you didn't think to tell me!?" Eliza accused, crossing her arms over her chest.

Em gave her a sneaky grin. "You know me; I like to play up the theatrics."

Eliza huffed and elbowed her friend while their friends began to grill Em over when it had happened, exactly how it had happened, who asked, etc. Needless to say, Eliza was very pleased when the bell rang.

—

After breakfast, the first day of term progressed uneventfully. Eliza would have like to say the entire day was just as normal as any other, if it hadn't been for the 'incident'.

Eliza and her fellow Hufflepuffs were on their way to dinner, headed down the main hallway towards the Great Hall, when they were greeted with an occlusion of students whom all seemed preoccupied with the wall.

"What's this all about?" Eliza asked as they neared the large group of students huddled in the middle of the hallway. The group was abuzz, muttering to their friends, pointing at the wall.

Em shoved her way through the crowd, leaving room for Midge and Eliza to follow her.

**Time is short mudbloods**

Eliza could hear the gasp leave her mouth.

The message seemed to be written in red paint that dripped down the wall from the letters.

"What the hell is this!?" Em bristled.

"Probably somebody's idea of a polite warning," Midge said coldly, turning her back of the crudely painted words and stomping away from the message.

Em and Eliza hurried to follow her.

"This is getting out of hand," Em said angrily. "It's in our school now!? Why aren't they doing anything about this poison!?"

"No way to know who did it," Eliza offered.

"Oh I'm sure it's a bloody Slytherin!" Em realized what left her mouth and abruptly stopped, the winds taken out of her sails for a moment. "I'm sorry, Eliza…"

Eliza waved off her apology. "I know what you meant. I don't expect you to say "except Regulus" every time. It takes the edge off of your rage."

"She's not wrong though," Midge said bitterly. "Almost all of them believe in this pure-blood mania. It's appalling!"

"Is this just the start?" Em asked aloud as the entered the Great Hall. "Do we need to start being suspicious of our own classmates?"

The three girls immediately glanced towards the Slytherin table. No one was acting out of the norm. They were joking with one another and using their pristine eating manners as per usual.

Just as the girls took a seat at the Hufflepuff table, Arthur came sprinting over, his cheeks flushed red from the effort. "Midge!"

"We know, Arthur," Eliza said, bidding the boy to sit down.

He did so, taking a few labored breathes to return his breathing to normal, but his eyes were wide. "What if they start attacking students next?"

Em and Eliza glanced at each other.

Jack and Parker came up from behind them, taking their seats with grim expressions.

"Wouldn't be the first time," Jack said bitterly. Their group immediately thought back to first year and Midge's experience.

"Filch is already scrubbing it off," Parker updated them. But the whole school had already seen and no one was talking of anything else within the Hall. Parker turned to Midge and Arthur. "I don't think you guys should go anywhere alone."

Arthur and Midge glanced to each other, frowning.

"I think Parker's right. You guys aren't safe," Jack said.

No one said anything. What could they say? Make assurances that the teachers would keep everyone safe? It would be denial. The corridors were large and there were so many dark alcoves and unused classrooms that would be ideal for hunting victims.

"Look, let's not panic yet," Em said even-headly. "But still, Parker's right. You guys need to stick close."

Midge's face was contorted with anger and she said nothing during dinner. She barely ate, only stabbed angrily at the pork on her plate.

Eliza was silent as well, but her mind was humming. She was thinking of Regulus. Would he know who'd done this?

Finally, as the desserts appeared on the table, Arthur spoke. He didn't look up from his plate, but his voice was confident. "I'm not going to hide behind your guys' skirts. Let them try."

All heads snapped towards Arthur. He still did not look up, but Jack and Em were gaping. Parker's eyes met Eliza's and they shared an unspoken moment. Midge was looking directly at Arthur, her lips in a thin line but her eyes as sharp as ice.

"Let them try," she echoed before looking back to her plate.

—

The entire week following the incident had changed Hogwarts' atmosphere. Everyone was tense. It was not unusual to find people traveling in groups, even if they did not share the same destination. Those who were't not visibly afraid, were visibly hating the Slytherins, whom the entire student body blamed for the message and the fear.

When Eliza had asked Regulus, he had claimed ignorance of the entire event. He told Eliza he hadn't even heard about the incident until the following morning. Eliza then asked if there was anyone he might have suspected. This had immediately caused discomfort to her friend, indicated by his sudden fidgeting, telling Eliza that he could in fact guess who had done it, or perhaps knew the exact suspect.

Finally, Regulus muttered that there were a few people who _could_ have done it, but he refused to give any names. This immediately irritated Eliza, who felt Regulus was siding with the culprits. This was immediately noticed by Regulus, who himself grew irritated that Eliza was constantly suspecting him and his classmates.

Eliza argued that she'd never suspected him, and that he couldn't deny that it was his Housemates that, in general, supported the movement. And Regulus shot back that he was tired of always being in the middle. Which is when Eliza, bristling, suggested that he'd never be in the middle again if she took herself out of the equation. And Regulus, just as stubborn as her, agreed, and the two turned their backs on each other and stalked away in opposite directions.

But as it was with Regulus and Eliza, the two eventually found each other again. After three weeks of cold shoulders, Eliza ran out of beetle's eyes in Potions and Parker, unprepared, had none to spare. And so Eliza begrudgingly asked Regulus for some. He relented with only a nod before noticing that Eliza's cauldron was emitting a fog the wrong color. And so he pointed this out to her, in a mutter Eliza could only barely hear. She muttered back a 'thank you' and fixed her concoction.

They didn't speak to each other the rest of the class period or the rest of the day. Nor did they speak the following day. But when Potions class rolled around again, they took their customary spots beside one another and continued on as if the past three weeks had never happened.

And by this time, the fearful atmosphere had lifted from the school. No further incidents had happened and everyone had quit jumping at shadows. Things were back to normal, so to say and by the beginning of October, everyone had fallen into their routines.

—

"I'm definitely not looking forward to practice today," Em said glumly as they packed up their books, waiting to be dismissed. She and Eliza took a glance out the nearest window to see the trees swaying to and fro in the blustering wind.

"No chance of cancel?" Eliza asked as the bell rang.

Em just gave her a flat stare.

Eliza tried to hide her smile. "Well, I guess we'd better load you up on some warm soup or something before you head out. Good thing we were planning on heading to the Great Hall right away-"

Eliza had glanced to her left, expecting to find Midge, but she had vanished.

"Where did Midge go?" She asked, looking back to Em as they joined the students leaving the classroom.

Em frowned. "She's been doing that a lot. Disappearing I mean. She's been skipping out of class early, or finishes her dinner first. She's been coming back to the Common Room later than usual…"

Eliza's eyebrows had risen behind her bangs. "Do you think she's seeing someone?"

Emlyn shrugged. "Kind of what I've been thinking. I've been expecting her to talk to us about it any day but nothing yet."

"How long has this been going on? Am I really so unobservant?" Eliza asked.

Em chuckled. "You do tend to get engrossed in your own activities. I don't know…I guess I didn't really start noticing until like a week ago. But I figure it must have been going on before I actually took notice. But why do you think she's not telling us anything? I mean, I can understand the boys, but us?"

Eliza's lips twisted in thought. "Maybe she thinks we wouldn't approve?"

"Oh come on, we're a tolerant bunch. Or at least **you** are."

"Do you think we should just ask her about it?"

Em shook her head. "No. I'd rather she come to us when she's ready. Maybe it's just not a serious thing and she doesn't want the hype. Or maybe this is something completely different and we're just blowing it all out of proportion."

Eliza saw the wisdom in this and nodded her assent.

Midge was not at dinner, but the rest of the gang was. Parker and Em complained the entire time about their impending practice, finally prompting Eliza to swear she would have hot cocoa waiting for them upon their return. Arthur then said he would like some as well, prompting Jack to chime in that he wouldn't mind a nice cup of cocoa, maybe an eclair.

And this was how Eliza found herself alone in the kitchens, surrounded by a dozen house-elves offering her all manner of treats. Frankly, it made Eliza uncomfortable. She'd discovered the kitchens early in her Hogwarts career. After all, it was so near to the Hufflepuff Common Room, it was hard not to notice people sneaking around the large portrait of fruit.

Eliza rarely took advantage of the kitchens. It's not like she didn't get her fill to eat at mealtimes. But sometimes Em would drag her there for a treat when her time of the month started and Parker was prone to midnight snacks.

Having denied all offers of extra snacks and ladened with a tray filled with steaming mugs, Eliza thanked the elves and did her best clambering out of the portrait hole with such a large tray. She managed, with the assistance of a levitation charm, and was making her way to the barrels that hid her Common Room when she heard a giggle echoing down the corridor.

Eliza would normally pay no mind, but she recognized that giggle. It was Midge's, and it was coming from the far end of the corridor, near the stairs that led down to the dungeons. Curiosity getting the better of her, Eliza edged down the corridor, trying to make as little noise as possible. She could hear a hushed conversation, occasionally punctuated by Midge's giggle. As she moved closer, she could tell the other voice was definitely male.

So Midge _was_ seeing someone.

Finally, Eliza was able to pinpoint Midge's location. She was secreted away into one of the many alcoves the castle offered. It was dark and Eliza couldn't see any details accept Midge's dark hair falling over her shoulders. It was much too shadowy to see the bloke she was with.

And at that thought, Eliza felt guilty. She had agreed with Em that this was Midge's business and she would come to them when she was ready. Eliza was just being nosey. She immediately turned around and made her way back to the Common Room.

When Eliza and Em retired to their dorm, Midge still had not returned and Eliza told Em what she'd confirmed. Despite Em being the one who officially said they should mind their own business, she was extremely disappointed that Eliza hadn't tried harder to discover the identity of the boy in question.

"You filthy hypocrit!" Eliza laughed, launching a pillow at her friend's head.

Em spat her tongue out, catching the pillow with her Quidditch-honed reflexes. "You can't blame me for being curious. I mean, come on, don't you think it's strange she hasn't said _anything_ to us?"

Eliza laid back on her bed. "Of course, but I think we were right when we said we shouldn't ask her about it."

Em sighed sadly. "I know. But it had better be juicy when she finally tells us!"

—

But the weeks went on and there was no mention of any boys by Midge. She acted like everything was completely normal, although her absences were now being noticed by the boys. When they approached Em and Eliza about their suspicions, they admitted they'd known for a while and heeded the boys not to bother her about it. Jack seemed especially salty about the entire ordeal but no one paid him much mind. It wasn't unusual of Jack to be huffy about something or other.

And as October turned to November, everyone had become busy with their own lives. Em and Parker were busy with Quidditch. When Em wasn't practicing or doing homework, she spent a lot of her time with Pattie. Arthur and Jack had decided to join the dueling club and if they weren't at an actual meeting, they were practicing spells on each other. Eliza was more than pleased with this development, for she'd not forgotten the drive she'd gotten this summer.

Eliza was in frequent contact with her mother, which, admittedly, put a lot of strain on Eliza. Apparently, there were bills on the docket at the Ministry, aimed at minorities and anti-muggle and anti-muggle-born sentiment was beginning to spread throughout the Ministry. Resources were running thin as attacks upon muggles brought about the need for healers, aurors, reinforcement of the secrecy statute…the list went on and on.

Parker was a source of comfort for Eliza. Particularly talented at reading her emotions, he was always there for her when she was stressed out or dismayed. Sometimes the two would stay up until the wee hours of the morning, whispering in front of the dying embers of the Common Room fire.

Parker really understood Eliza. His own family worked at the Ministry and Parker was privy to the same concerns that plagued Eliza's mother, and Eliza in turn. And so the forth-years would make all kinds of plans on what they would do when they graduated and they could truly make a difference in this fight, with only a vague hope that the movement would die out before they got the chance.

Eliza also spent a lot of time with Regulus, just as she always had. But their situation felt more real to her than ever before. Regulus came from a pureblooded family, and he resided in Slytherin House, who weren't particularly shy about their pureblooded mania. And while Eliza truly believed that Regulus was good, there was worry in her heart. What would he do to remain respectable to his family and to his House?

Part of Eliza hoped that, maybe if she held onto him tight enough, he wouldn't be tempted to stray to the Dark Arts. But then…why would she be the only thing keeping him from such a life? What would make _her_ so important?

Nothing.

But to this, Eliza chose to shut her eyes to the world. And she held on to Regulus. For she saw him as he truly was. And maybe Regulus would remember that. That she cared for him for who he was, not like his House and family who would judge him for who he should be.

—

With so much going on, it was no surprise that the weeks blurred together and December fell upon Hogwarts. It was the first Monday of December that found Eliza Adwell flying down a dungeon corridor, her curly hair streaming behind her. She was running late.

With a sense of relief, the door to Professor Slughorn's office came into view. Eliza continued to hurry towards it, which gave her no opportunity to stop when the door opened and someone stepped out.

Eliza plowed right into the sudden arrival with such a force she was almost knocked to the ground. Fortunately, the person grabbed her arm, pulling her until she was stable on her feet.

Gathering her bearings, Eliza studied whom she had rammed into. He was tall, with curly black hair and the deepest blue eyes, the color of sapphires. He was smiling, a lopsided smile that tied everything together into an appealing look.

"In a hurry?" He asked, amused.

"I'm so sorry," Eliza sputtered, breathless. "I'm running late for a meeting with Slughorn."

"I'm sorry you had to rush to a meeting just to be on time," the boy said. "My meeting ran a little late."

"You're the Ravenclaw prefect," Eliza said, recognizing him. "Is it Mark?"

"Matthew, but close."

"Eliza," she offered her hand and shook Matthew's. "Sorry for bumping into you."

"You can bump into me any time," he winked playfully.

A blush appeared on her cheeks as she smiled. Giving Matthew a small wave, she slipped into Slughorn's office.

—

Essays completed, Eliza, Arthur, Parker and Jack were winding down for the evening with a game of Exploding Snap. Most of the Common Room was empty, despite it not quite being ten o'clock. It was probably due to the fifth year students, who were snapping at other students under their massive workloads. Despite the fact that many of the fifth years had taken to the library, a lot of the younger students decided to just stay out of the way up in their dorms and the older students simply took their activities elsewhere.

This quiet environment made it all the more alarming when the sound of raised voices came echoing towards the Common Room. The Hufflepuff group looked up in time to see a red-faced Midge and an even redder-faced Emlyn storming into the Common Room, glaring daggers at each other.

"What the hell is going on?" Parker asked, rising to his feet.

"Just stay out of my business!" Midge yelled at Emlyn, as though she'd not even heard Parker.

Em threw her hands in the air. "Someone has to protect you from your own stupidity!"

"How dare you!" Midge screeched, aiming a slap for Em's face that Em managed to dodge.

Before the argument could escalate any further, Parker rushed forward, pulling Em away from Midge, while Jack went to Midge, trying to get her to sit down and breathe, all of which fell on deaf ears. Midge began to pace around the room like an angry bull.

"What's going on?" Arthur asked uncertainly, his eyes moving between Midge and Em.

"I've discovered who Midge has been seeing this whole time!" Em announced, her eyes flashing with anger. Midge looked about to scream, probably to delay the announcement, but Em shouted the name out before she could be interrupted. "Wilkes!"

The name halted everyone in their tracks. Jaws dropped and eyebrows shot up. Parker was openly gawking at Midge, who looked so infuriated she looked like she could spit fire.

Jack was the first one who spoke. His own face had become contorted in anger and something dangerous was dancing in his eyes. "_Wilkes_!? Have you lost your bloody senses!?"

"You don't even know him!" Midge shot back.

"I know everything I need to! That he's a pureblood fanatic who'd sooner curse you than look at you!"

"Obviously that's not true!" Midge hissed.

"You think he _likes_ you!? He's probably playing with you!"

Midge looked as though she'd been slapped and the room held their collective breath. Seconds ticked by but no one dare move. No one dare talk.

But then Midge spoke, her whole body shaking, her cheeks flushed, her eyes filling with angry tears that she couldn't force back but that she refused to let fall.

"You think that I am so unworthy that no one could like me!? Or that because he's a Slytherin, he can't like me because I'm muggle-born!? That's why we have to meet in secret, because of people like you!" Tears were starting to fall now, and Midge was all the angrier for it. Suddenly she shot her glare at Eliza, thrusting a finger in her direction. "No one gives Eliza any shit about Regulus! I won't take it, you hear me!? He adores me, and I adore him! And neither you guys, nor any Slytherins, nor the world will keep us apart!"

And while everyone was still shell shocked, she fled, sprinting into the barrel tunnel and to, presumably, the open arms of Wilkes. Slowly, everyone looked to each other, reeling.

"She really thinks he likes her," Em said bitterly. She had lost some of her ferocity but she stood clenching and unclenching her fists. "I found them together. I told her she was an idiot. That he's probably one of the arseholes who put that message up on the wall; but she wouldn't hear it."

Eliza was at a loss for words. Her friendship with Regulus, as Midge had sort of pointed out, proved that not every Slytherin was bad. But Wilkes…he actively hung around with Avery, Mulciber…that entire gang that was notorious for causing trouble. As much as Eliza would have loved to give Midge the benefit of the doubt, Eliza knew in her heart that Wilkes held no such affection for her. And that she was going to get hurt. The question was, how had this not happened already? Was that the proof Midge had for herself that he genuinely liked her?

Looking exhausted, Em flopped down onto the couch that Eliza had vacated. Eliza slowly lowered herself back into her seat, leaning up against Em for support. Parker took the seat on Eliza's other side. Arthur took a seat in the recliner next to the couch while Jack, still looking furious, took a seat in an armchair near the dying fire.

"We should go to bed…" Parker said after a long moment of silence. Everyone murmured their agreement, yet no one moved.

Everyone was caught up in their own thoughts, their own worries. Jack was tapping his foot incessantly against the floor, his eyes shooting up towards the clock every other minute.

As the time ticked on, Eliza felt her eyelids grow heavy. Leaning more heavily on Em, she let herself slip into a peaceful rest, where she was not quite asleep, but the waking world was not quite present. Everyone else must have had the same idea, for when a slamming noise wrenched Eliza into consciousness and she sat up in alarm, everyone was still where they left themselves. Everyone turned toward the tunnel entrance in surprise, except for Jack, who looked just as angry as he had when Midge left and looking as though he'd not rested at all.

Midge appeared from the tunnel, her cheeks flushed and her eyes red. Tears were streaking down her face and wisps of hair clung to her face. When she noticed her friends, she looked shocked for a minute, then new tears welled in her eyes.

"I'm sorry!" She suddenly choked out.

Jack, Eliza and Parker were on their feet in a heartbeat. All trace of anger gone, Jack went immediately to Midge and gently wrapping his arm around her shoulders, steered her towards the couch. Parker and Eliza moved aside so Jack could seat Midge next to Em while he took the seat next to her.

"Midge, what happened?" Arthur asked, concerned.

Midge only shook her head. For five minutes she refused to tell her friends what happened. Eliza wanted to stop pestering her, but obviously something terrible had happened and she wanted to make sure Midge wasn't in any sort of trouble. Finally, they were able to coax her into talking.

"You…you guys were right. He was just-just using me," she sniffled.

"Using you for what?" Arthur asked but goosebumps appeared on Eliza's arms as she could guess exactly what he was using Midge for.

There were tears and shame in her eyes. She refused to look anyone in the face, and instead stared a hole in the floor. "After I left I…I went to find him…told him what you guys said. He…he comforted me. He told me…he told me he'd show me how much he cared. He snuck me into his Common Room and into his dorm and well…"

Midge stopped for a moment as everyone could picture what happened next.

"I started to…you know…"

Get undressed, Eliza knew.

"But then I…I overheard them; Wilkes and one of his friends. They weren't far from the dorm. Not that they even bothered to keep there voices down. Some boy said: 'Are you really going to do this?' And he sounded kind of…disgusted. And Wilkes said…"

A fresh wave of hot tears spilled down Midge's cheeks.

"He said that he wanted to be a part of the club; that he'd been working me over this long. It was so beneath him that it was _forbidden_. And what could be sweeter than that? 'Come on, Rosier' he said… 'Don't you want to be a part of Doing it in the Dirt?'"

Silence rang throughout the Common Room. Midge continued but her cheeks were turning red from anger and her tears were burning away in rage. "You see, it's a fad in Slytherin House. Find a mudblood to sleep with and you've 'done it in the dirt'. Like some kind of exclusive club of doing something forbidden and disgusting."

Everyone was in shock, it was clear by their faces. Arthur was pale. Jack was chewing the inside of his mouth so vigorously Eliza worried he'd tear straight through. Parker was on his feet, pacing the floor in anger.

Emlyn's hair practically stood on edge, crackling from anger. Her face was contorted with rage, her eyes so murderous Eliza feared to speak.

"And then what happened?" She snapped as if waiting for justification to promptly go relieve him of his man parts.

Midge glanced up from the floor for the first time. Her face was screwed in defiance, her eyes striking and filled with fury. She sat rigid, her shoulders set back, striking an impressive pose. "I put my robes back on, stormed out of the room, ensured his face was nothing but a mass of tentacles and came back here."

"That's my girl," Em smirked, squeezing the other girl's hand and leaning in to give her a kiss on the head.

Jack was holding Midge's other hand, which Eliza just realized, he'd been doing the whole time. His face was impassive but his eyes were fiery. He pulled Midge into a hug as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.

—

The next morning was a Saturday. Eliza awoke feeling like she hadn't rested at all. She slowly sat up, glancing over to see Midge tucked in with Em and both were still asleep.

Upon seeing Midge, last night's events came rushing back to Eliza. Anger burned in her gut; not just for Wilkes, but for his friends, for his House, for everyone who thought they were better than her sweet Midge. Something roared to life inside her, demanding justice. She wanted to do something. To curse someone. To relieve this sudden hatred bubbling in her gut.

Eliza got out of bed, trying to banish this overwhelming anger, but it wouldn't subside. Getting dressed and pulling her hair back in a ponytail, Eliza decided to walk down to the Great Hall. She wasn't hungry, but she thought the walk might burn off some of her anger. She could bring Midge some breakfast while she was down there so that the poor girl didn't have to face anyone she might not want to see right now.

Eliza climbed out of the tunnel, the barrel lid closing after her. She was about to head down the corridor to the Great Hall, when she heard a familiar voice deep in conversation. She looked over her shoulder to see Regulus laughing at something his friend said.

At the sight of him, her anger roared to life again, as though the fire had been doused with lighter fluid. The green on his robes seemed to shine like a beacon to her and she was walking before her brain even knew what she was doing.

"Regulus Black!"

Unsuspecting Regulus Black stopped and turned to find his friend storming down the corridor. He only had the chance to look confused before she was on him, roughly grabbing the sleeve of his robe and pushing him into an empty adjacent hallway.

"Eliza! What-"

"Did you know!?" Eliza shot at him, her eyes flashing dangerously, her hair practically crackling.

"What are you talking about?"

"Did you know?" Eliza asked again, her voice dipping low as she took a threatening step towards him. When immediate recognition didn't dawn upon Regulus' face, she took another step towards him so they were only inches apart. "Doing it in the Dirt? Ring any bells?"

Regulus' face immediately sobered.

His knowledge of the practice fueled Eliza's anger and she lashed out. "Is that the kind of disgusting thing you all do in that House!?"

Regulus' eyes flashed as well and he drew himself up to his full height, the flaring of his nostrils revealing his growing temper. "I can't believe you."

"Me!?"

"Yes, you!" Regulus shouted and it was enough to shock Eliza into silence and cause her to take a step back. "You've known me all these years…and you actually think that I would…that I could possibly…"

Eliza swallowed hard against her throat, but there was still injustice rushing through her veins. "Just because **you** would never do it doesn't negate the fact that your companions do it! That your entire House has such a disgusting sense of superiority!"

Regulus glared for a hard moment at Eliza as anger rolled off of him in waves. When he spoke, his voice was low and quiet, but Eliza heard every word perfectly. "Did you choose your House, Eliza? Did you sit beneath that hat and tell him where to place you? We didn't _choose_ to be placed in the Houses we were. You stand before me, demonizing those who lump every person not of them, as beneath them. Yet here you stand, telling me who I am because of the emblem that I wear. That I must be okay with everything that happens around me because of my colors. That you would demonize me because I share a room with those that have wronged you."

A ringing silence followed. Eliza's eyes were wide, her words lost to her tongue. And as she felt the rage fade away, she saw Regulus' shoulders sag and his face betray frustration. He seemed then, like a fourteen year-old boy with a heavy burden upon his shoulders. Like there was a battle he was facing with no visible enemy in sight.

At the sight of her best friend looking frustrated, almost as if to not look defeated, all of her own frustration and anger vanished in a split second. He was right after all. She knew Regulus better than anyone. They'd known each other as long as they'd known their world at Hogwarts. And he was brooding, oh yes, and a little haughty for sure. He wore his intelligence as superiority and wrapped it around his shoulders. But he was good. He _was_. And she knew he was, for she had angrily told that to many a people; to make them understand the boy beneath all of that. Her best friend, who only let his defenses down to let her see the light in him. Who turned his glare on the snarky comments about their friendship from his companions, whom he did not choose.

The guilt hit her and tugged at her heart and pulled forth a moment of self loathing. And it pulled forth the frustration she'd been feeling, and the fear for her friends, and the fear for her mother, and the sense of helplessness she felt in this fight, in this war, and it all rolled into her, like a heavy blow to the chest. And her eyes pricked with tears, which she tried to fight, but all the fight had left her and they rolled down her cheeks.

And Regulus noticed and his own frustration gave way into that defeat that bobbed so close to the surface. And he watched her, with his defeated frown and tired eyes. And a memory swam to the surface of her mind. And she thought of her darkened room, the only light being the lamppost outside shining through her window. And how she'd felt frustrated then, and sad, and hopeless, and he had come to her and held her hand and hugged her close and kissed her head.

Eliza flung herself forward and wrapped Regulus in a tight embrace before he could pull away. She buried her face in his chest, for he'd gotten taller, and took in his familiar scent.

"I'm so sorry, Regulus. I know who you are. Will you forgive me?" She whispered.

Eliza heard Regulus sigh from above her head and she felt him pull a strand of hair from her wet face. Another, softer sigh, and he returned the embrace, resting his chin on her head.

As they stood like that, the sweet blonde-haired Hufflepuff and the brooding, dark Slytherin, Eliza's mind turned to another. Voldemort. That this was what he wanted. For them to turn against one another. For them to hate each other, distrust each other. But Eliza wasn't about to let him win. He wouldn't take Regulus from her. And he wouldn't take her friends from her. Because she simply wouldn't let him. She'd fight him. She'd fight him with everything she had. Because there was good in the world and Eliza felt it as her best friend gently swayed with her back and forth, and she was going to fight like hell for it.

—

Eliza would have liked all that had happened to be the last of the drama before they left for the holiday, but it was not to be. While Eliza's confrontation with Regulus had temporarily extinguished her anger, it came flaring back to life two days later on Monday morning. It was fueled by the anger of her friends, who spent their breakfast glaring at the Slytherin table. Wilkes' face had been set straight, but there were scars dotting his face where the tentacles had been.

Eliza was glad they did not have class with the Slytherins that day. There was no way she'd be able to sit with Regulus with her friends so mutinous towards the Slytherins. Which Eliza completely understood. Anyone who wasn't Regulus was privy to her anger and by the end of classes that day, her and her friends all felt like their anger was boiling over.

Eliza couldn't help but notice how much darker Jack's mood was than everyone else's. He hadn't eaten at breakfast or lunch, and as they all sat at the table for dinner, he touched nothing there either. Instead he sat as he'd done all day, with his hands clenched in his lap and a permanent death stare etched into his face.

Eliza was worried about him. As angry as she and everyone else was about what had happened, Eliza felt that this was almost poisoning Jack. Afraid that he might snap, Eliza finally decided to talk to him.

"Jack," Eliza said, pushing her half-eaten plate from her. "Can you come help me with something?"

Jack hardly looked at her but gave her a jerky nod. Em glanced over in concern as Eliza and Jack got up from the table and made their way out of the hall. Eliza led Jack to a quiet area in the corner of the entrance hall, behind a statue that was close to the corridor that led to the kitchens and their Common Room.

"Jack, are you okay?" Eliza asked, keeping her voice quiet in case anyone should wander by.

Jack only gave her a flat glare, which made Eliza twist her lips into a frown.

"I know we're all angry but-"

"But what?" Jack snapped. "Do you realize how much he could have harmed her? How much he already did?"

Jack was shaking. Eliza wasn't sure what to say, but she was saved having to say anything when Parker appeared around the statue.

"What are you guys doing?" He asked.

"Nothing," Jack said flatly, stalking away and towards the Common Room.

"Come on," Eliza said softly, taking Parker's hand and tugging him along after Jack.

They'd made it close to the barrels when a shout rang out from behind them.

"Howell!"

The three Hufflepuffs turned to see none other than Wilkes and Mulciber headed towards them, smug looks on their faces. The sight of them sent Eliza's hatred flaring to life. Up close, Eliza could see Wilkes' scars were much worse than they'd looked from afar and a sense of satisfaction and pride for Midge cut through the hatred momentarily.

"How's Midge doing?" Wilkes smirked.

Jack lunged forward, ready to attack but Parker caught him, trying to hold him back.

"Jack, he's not worth it," Parker hissed in Jack's ears but he was seeing red and it was no use trying to reason with him.

"You son of a bitch!" Jack seethed through clenched teeth. He pushed away from Parker and drew his wand.

The two Slytherins burst into mocking laughter.

"You can't be serious?" Wilkes smirked with such an air of smugness it set Eliza's teeth on edge. "You dare challenge us?"

"Right here, right now," Jack glared.

Wilkes drew his wand. Mulciber stepped behind him. "Who is your second?"

Parker took a step forward but so did Eliza, speaking before he had the chance. "I am."

The two Slytherins burst into laughter again but Eliza slipped her wand out of her sleeve. At the same moment, Jack raised his wand.

"Petrificus totalus!"

Jack was quick, but so was Wilkes. He raised his wand, silently slashing his wand through the air, deflecting Jack's spell. Mulciber slid to the side, aiming his wand at Jack.

"Impedimenta!"

Eliza's spell hit Mulciber square in the chest, knocking him back against the stone wall behind him.

Wilkes turned his wand on Eliza, a blast of blue exploding from his wand. A protection spell came from Parker, blocking the blast while Jack's spell aimed straight for Wilkes' head.

He ducked, throwing a spell back at Jack. Eliza could not see whether or not the spell hit him, as Mulciber was back on his feet, throwing a spell in Eliza's direction. Her wand slashed the air in front of her, knocking the spell away then threw one back in retaliation. Mulciber knocked hers away and it hit the wall behind him, leaving a scorch mark in its path.

Mulciber was aiming for her once more but Eliza was quicker. "Expelliarmus!"

Mulciber's wand flew from his hand while Eliza's sent another impedimenta curse at him, once again throwing him against the wall.

One threat neutralized, Eliza turned to Jack to see him and Parker dueling furiously with Wilkes. He was good, there was no denying, as he single-handedly took on Parker and Jack. Parker was a much faster dueler, his wand a flurry of movement. With a flash of light, his blast struck the ground at Wilkes' feet, causing him to stumble backwards. Jack seized the opportunity.

"Stupefy!"

With enormous force, the spell knocked into the Slytherin, throwing him to the ground, where he did not get up.

The three Hufflepuffs then turned their attention to Eliza's previous opponent, who was conscious but sprawled on the floor, his body still resting against the wall. There was fear in his eyes as he realized he was wandless against three opponents.

Jack began to raise his arm, but Eliza threw her arm out, halting him. "Leave him. He's not worth any more of our time."

The adrenaline was flooding from Eliza's system, allowing her rational thoughts to flood through her brain. Another unconscious body would raise alarm if happened upon and Eliza had no intentions of facing the consequences of this duel. Left conscious, Mulciber would drag himself and Wilkes away from the scene.

Seemingly following Eliza's own train of thought, Parker pocketed his own wand. But Jack's remained aloft, his face burning with fury. Eliza could not fault him for his hesitation. Her own hatred and anger burned in her gut, roaring for action, for the total destruction of these ignorant boys and all they stood for.

Finally, Jack lowered his wand but he moved past Eliza and Parker to the fallen Slytherin. He glared down at him with all the rage that engulfed him, so fiercely that Eliza almost thought Mulciber would burst into flame under under Jack's burning glare.

"Do not forget what has happened here," Jack said. He half-turned around, but a split second later he whirled around, sending a punch right for Mulciber's nose, which broke if the loud crunching noise meant anything. With one last glare, Jack turned sharply on his heel and stalked away.

Eliza pocketed her wand, raising Mulciber's far above her head and throwing it as far down the hall as she could manage. With one last scathing glare at him, she too turned and followed Jack down the hall.

—

Eliza and Regulus said goodbye to each other before they left the castle. There was no way Regulus wasn't going to get mickied after the 'impression' Eliza and her friends had made on the Slytherins. Similarly, her friends would still be a little miffed about her spending the train ride with Regulus with everything being so fresh. And so the pair exchanged gifts before they boarded the train. Regulus made Eliza promise not to visit her dad, and Eliza made Regulus swear he wouldn't let himself get antagonized by Sirius.

As much as Eliza missed her mother, and was looking forward to seeing her, a sense of unease plagued her. Her mother was under tremendous stress and Eliza knew the reality of it would slap her in the face as soon as she saw her mum. And so Eliza intended to cherish the train ride home.

As it turned out, this was very easy to do. Her friends were in good spirits as they told jokes and played Exploding Snap in their compartment. Even Midge was laughing and appeared carefree. And on her way to buy something from the trolley, she spotted Matthew, who flashed her a grin and waved, which gave Eliza a few butterflies in her stomach. On her way back she saw Regulus through the glass doors looking bored as his companions conversed and catching Eliza's eyes, he made a gagging face at his situation. Giggling to herself, Eliza made her way back to her compartment to cherish these carefree moments a little longer.

**Author's Note:**

**I've had a terrible few days so I decided posting a chapter was exactly what I needed.**

**Thank you all so much for the love!**

**Reviews are rolling down the window and cranking up your favorite song.**


	10. Possibly the Best Valentine's Day Ever

**10\. Quite Possibly the Best Valentine's Day Ever**

Eliza began to wonder what it would be like to live in a normal world. One where there was no Lord Voldemort and no radical movement. A world where she did not have to be suspicious of peers and friends. Where she could enjoy her teenage years instead of constantly looking towards the future and preparing herself for the fight that awaited her outside of the castle walls.

It was a tantalizing world, something she would daydream about. But it did not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live. And so, upon returning to Hogwarts after Christmas break, Eliza told herself she would try to live in the moment a little bit more and to worry less about what was to come.

And so a week after term started, she found herself in the library. She'd spent so much time reading defense books and charm books and anything that would help her in the coming years, that Eliza now decided she would do some leisurely reading.

Finding the 'Potions' section, Eliza's eyes slid over the bronze plaques under each shelf. Finding the correct shelf, her fingers slid over spines until they found the proper book. At the same time, another set of fingers also reached for the book.

Surprised, Eliza looked over to find Matthew. She eyed him playfully. "Are you stalking me?"

"No need, you seem to always come right to me," his eyes sparkled.

Eliza chuckled. "How are you, Matthew?"

"Matt will do. I'm fine. Why are you looking for this book? You can't possibly need it for any fourth year classes."

"Oh, I enjoy many a reading. And Potions is my favorite."

Matt slid the book off its shelf. "Well I need this book to finish my paper due tomorrow. How about I take it for tonight and I'll bring it to you tomorrow?"

Eliza smiled. "Deal."

"Meet here after classes?"

Eliza nodded. Matt said goodbye and left with his book.

—

The next day, Matt indeed met with Eliza but they'd barely said hello before he suggested a stroll through the courtyard.

"It's unseasonably warm today; do you want to get some fresh air?" He had asked Eliza as he handed over the book.

"Sure!"

And so a Tuesday afternoon found the pair sitting around the stone bench that surrounded what was a fountain in warm weather.

"And he never suspected a thing!?" Eliza asked, her eyes wide as she listened to Matt's tale.

Matt chuckled. "He still hasn't noticed to this day."

Eliza laughed. Matt was very easy to talk to, as well as witty and funny. He was considering working for Gringotts and was thus, taking quite the workload. This, coupled with being a prefect, Eliza was amazed he had any spare time or energy to spend an afternoon befriending her. She was even more surprised when he asked if she would like to accompany him on the next Hogsmead trip.

"The trip on Valentine's Day?" Eliza asked.

"I suppose that would be the one," his blue eyes twinkled.

Eliza agreed and the pair talked for a bit longer before Matt excused himself to tend to his studies. Eliza remained seated and watched his retreating back. She thought about Valentine's Day and her stomach erupted with butterflies and a stupid smile slid onto her face.

"Who was that?"

Eliza jumped in her seat, startled and looked over to see Arthur looking down at her.

A hand over her franticly beating heart, she glared up at Arthur. "What are you doing!?"

Arthur sat down next to her, sounding as innocent as possible. "I was out for a walk and saw you. Who were you with?"

Taking took a deep breath to recover from being startled. "That's Matt."

"Oh. Who's Matt?"

"The Ravenclaw prefect."

"I didn't know you were friends with the Ravenclaw prefect."

"It's kind of a _new_ friendship. We met just before the holidays. But we were both trying to check out the same book yesterday and he told me he'd bring it to me today. And we just kind of got to talking."

"Oh," Arthur said and looked out into the distance. There was a troubled look on his face.

"Is something wrong?" Eliza asked, eyebrow raised.

"Did he ask you out?" Arthur asked after a long moment.

Eliza couldn't stop that stupid smile from slipping onto her face so there was no point trying to lie. "Well, he asked me to accompany him to Hogsmead on Valentine's Day.

"Oh."

"Is everything okay?" Eliza asked.

Arthur turned to look at her. He shrugged. "Are you going to tell Parker? A-And everyone?"

"No," Eliza crossed her arms and glared at him. "And don't you dare say anything!"

"Why?"

"Because you _know_ how they get. I'd rather not deal with it. And it's just _one_ date."

"They're going to be suspicious when you don't make plans with them," Arthur said in warning.

"Don't you dare," Eliza punctuated before gathering her book-bag and heading inside.

—

"Eliza, what are you doing out here?" Regulus asked, surprised at Eliza's presence outside the Quidditch changing rooms.

"Waiting for you," she smiled, pulling her yellow and black scarf away from her face.

"It's freezing out here," he frowned.

"I know," Eliza shrugged. "Which is why we should get you inside. I'm surprised you're not frozen to your broom."

Eliza entwined her gloved fingers with Regulus' and led him up towards the castle.

"I thought we could get dinner, just the two of us," Eliza said.

"How were you planning that?"

"I thought we'd go to the kitchens," Eliza said, smiling up at him.

Regulus offered her a small smile and agreed to her dinner. They hadn't seen each other much after holiday besides for in classes.

Eliza led him to the kitchens, tickled the pear and led him through the portrait hole. Before the house elves could bombard them, Eliza steered Regulus to the nearest fireplace and sat him down. For this Regulus was grateful, as he _had_ almost literally frozen to his broom.

As the house elves brought them dinner, sweets and hot drinks, Regulus asked about Eliza's break.

"It was okay," Eliza frowned into her pudding.

Regulus was quiet for a long moment, which he did on purpose to prompt Eliza to talk. It worked, as he knew it would.

"I'm worried about Mum…she's so stressed. There's so much going on in the Ministry right now. I don't think she's taking proper care of herself."

"Did you spend your entire break taking care of her?"

"Someone had to," Eliza sighed. "I'm just so worried about her. And of course she's not part of the movement and it's growing in the Ministry and what if…what if something happens to her?"

Eliza finished this sentence in a horrified whisper. Regulus leaned forward and wrapped her in a hug. Eliza nuzzled into his shoulder. Suddenly she felt like crying, especially when Regulus started gently rubbing her back, but she wouldn't let herself. She couldn't let herself fall apart when her mother was working so hard.

Finally she pulled away and a moment of silence stretched between them. Eliza broke it once more. "How was your holiday?"

The looked that flashed across Regulus' face indicated his vacation had not gone well either.

"How bad was it?" Eliza asked.

Regulus sighed. "Well…I'm pretty sure this will have been Sirius' last Christmas with us."

"What did he do?"

"He didn't say much to me; and I didn't speak with him much. It was just the _tension_. And then…well let's just say my parents were not as generous to him as they were to me…"

"Like, they got you a broom and him a book kind of thing?"

"They did get him a book… I don't even know where they got this kind of book, it looked pretty old. It was titled 'How Breeding with Muggles Destroyed Wizarding Society'."

Eliza gasped horrified as her face distorted into disgust.

"Sirius had the same look," Regulus said quietly, his eyes on the ground. "I don't know if my parents were trying one last ditch effort to make him come around or if they were purposely mocking him but Sirius was furious. He threw the book into the fireplace and said he'd rather watch our entire family burn than look at that book. Then he swore that our family would regret siding with Voldemort."

Eliza was so shocked, she didn't know what to say. Regulus was looking troubled, which was such a drastic change from his normal demeanor that Eliza felt anxious.

"He stormed upstairs…And I followed him up. He was in his room, packing things into a knapsack. I don't think he even noticed me at first, he was so focused on shoving as much as he could into the bag. But then he swung it over his shoulder and turned to leave and that's when he noticed me." Regulus swallowed. "He asked me what I wanted. And I told him they had no right giving him that book. And he just stared at me, like he didn't know if I was being sincere. But I was. Sirius and I were close when we were younger…and over the past few years it's almost like he's disgusted by me. That I'm worth as much attention as gum on his shoe. And I'll admit…there's times when I just want to blast him into the wall. But he's still my brother…despite our differences. And it felt like he was going to leave, and forever.

And I just…I don't know. I don't know what I had planned to say. Or why I went after him. But I just stood there, in the doorway, and he just looked at me. And I could just tell that he was done with our family, that he didn't plan to return. And what do you say to someone you've known your whole life, who you've been at odds with for years, when they're leaving? I wasn't going to ask him to stay; he didn't belong with us. He knew it. I knew it. And it wasn't truly goodbye after all, was it? Because we see each other at school. But not really. I don't know…it just felt like something was ending…but I don't know what.

And then he…he looked sad. And for some reason I remembered a memory. I was five and my magic was constantly causing some kind of trouble. And one day, Sirius was climbing a really tall tree, and I was worried he'd fall. I kept telling him to come down, but he just kept going higher. And I think my magic snapped the branch he was on to make him come down; which he did. He fractured an arm. And since it was my fault I was really upset, because I was worried my brother would get hurt, and then I caused him to get hurt. But Sirius just looked at me crying for a minute before he just smiled and put a hand on my head.

And it was strange because once I'd thought of that, Sirius walked over to me and we just stood there, looking at each other. And then he smiled…kind of a sad smile, and he put his hand on my head…."

Another long pause.

"That's the first time we've been that close without our wands pointed at each other's faces in five years…"

Regulus was now staring at the wall across from him, the words tumbling out of his mouth. The look in his eyes hinted that he was watching something Eliza could not see.

"And then he just moved past me. He walked down the stairs and out the front door."

His story ended so abruptly it took Eliza a full minute to realize it was over. Regulus was still staring at the wall, but Eliza could tell it was because he felt embarrassed to have revealed such a story to her. But he was her best friend, and her heart broke for him. Eliza leaned forward and wrapped him into a hug. And he rested his forehead in her shoulder.

And they both returned to their Common Rooms after curfew.

—

As January moved towards February, Eliza began to see much more of Matt. They never spent much time together at a time, because he was very focused on studying for his OWLs. The most time they spent with each other was when Eliza offered to help him study. Otherwise, their meetings were a simple walk to the other's class or a drive-by conversation on the way to their own House table.

Regardless, Eliza found herself looking forward to any time she could spend with Matt. He was fun to be around and she felt special when he'd part ways with his friends just to walk her to class. As February came, Eliza was anticipating their date with excitement and anxiety. Both emotions took turns ruling over Eliza but as the date grew nearer and nearer she felt more confident with her current relationship with Matt that it wouldn't be as awkward as it would have been in January.

"Alright," Em exasperated dramatically, tossing her fork down one evening at dinner. "Who is he?"

Eliza glanced up to see Em and Midge staring at her expectantly. She tried to shrink into herself. "What?"

"The boy you've been humming about," Em crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow.

Eliza tried to look scandalized. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."

"His name's Matt," Arthur supplied without looking up from buttering his roll. "They have a date next Saturday."

"Traitor!" Eliza hissed grumpily.

"_Arthur_ knows!?" Em screeched in disbelief. "You told Arthur bloody Banks but not us!?"

"Hey…" Arthur looked up, hurt.

"I keep telling you it's a bad idea to be friends with girls," Jack muttered to him, helping himself to some pumpkin juice.

"Shut up, Jack," Midge snapped.

Parker, being an intelligent boy, remained silent.

"I can't believe this!" Em continued. "Well…out with it! Who is Matt?"

"I don't know…he's just a boy I met…" Eliza shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"Gee thanks," Em rolled her eyes. "What is he like!? Dark and brooding type like Regulus, or knight in shining armor, take home to your mother Parker?"

Parker spat out his juice, coughing as he aspirated the rest. Arthur set to slapping him on the back. Eliza's face lit up like a Christmas light and began stuttering incoherently.

Midge sighed deeply. "Always so hard to get a straight answer from you."

"He's the Ravenclaw prefect," Arthur said, glancing worriedly at Parker as his face started to turn red from coughing.

"Ooooh, he's a dreamboat!" Midge gasped excitedly.

"Looks _and_ a brain? Damn girl, how _do_ you do it?" Em whistled.

Eliza shot to her feet, snatching up her backpack. "You guys are going to give me an aneurysm."

"Oh don't leave yet! We want to know your secret to attracting men!"

With a gesture her mother would be scandalized to witness, Eliza walked out of the Great Hall before she could suffer further embarrassment. Eliza hurried down to Potions despite being early, where she found Regulus already waiting.

"You look thoroughly disgruntled," he said once she came to a stop beside him.

"Emlyn," Eliza said with an eye roll.

"What has she done now?"

"You don't want to know. Suffice it to say she thinks you have much in common with a Mr. Heathcliff."

Regulus looked at her, puzzled, but Eliza waved away his confusion.

"Anyway, I have a date on Saturday and my friends couldn't be bothered with a cordial "that's great!"."

"Oh…" Regulus leaned back against the stone wall. "Who are you going out with?"

Eliza blinked and looked at her friend. For some reason, her subconscious was surprise Regulus was being nonchalant and not brooding at all. This left her feeling a little out of a sorts.

"Well we're not "going out"," Eliza said, feeling a little embarrassed for reasons unknown to her. "We're just going on a date, on Valentine's Day. He's taking me somewhere in Hogsmead."

"Oh." Regulus nodded his head. "Do I still get cauldron cakes?"

Eliza beamed brightly and chuckled. She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

—

Valentine's Day fell on a Friday. In between classes Eliza found Regulus to give him his promised box of cauldron cakes. To her complete surprise, Regulus handed her a gift. A small box wrapped in pink with red ribbon tied around it ending in a bow atop the box.

"You can open it later," Regulus said. "Don't do it between classes."

Eliza promised she wouldn't, planted a kiss on his cheek and hurried off. She made sure to give her other friends their customary gifts before rushing up to her dorm room to get ready. Midge and Emlyn followed, hellbent on helping her gussy up.

"What's that?" Em asked, pointing at the small wrapped box Eliza had set on her nightstand. She'd already forgotten about it and glanced back at it.

"Oh, that's from Regulus," Eliza said, glancing back to the mirror above her dresser. The gaping expressions from Midge and Em were reflected in its surface.

Eliza rolled her eyes and turned back around, hands on her hips. "_What_?"

Midge and Em glanced at each other. They were wringing their hands as one does when they're searching for the words they want to say.

"Well it's just…I mean…well, it's from _Regulus_?"

Eliza raised an eyebrow. "Is that supposed to mean something?"

Midge looked uncomfortably at Em but Em decided to jump ship.

"SO," she said. "What are you wearing?"

And between the three girls, Eliza found she could make herself fairly presentable. It would be cold so Midge found a cream-colored sweater dress and black leggings. They braided Eliza's long hair and pinned it into a bun at the nape of her neck, slightly to the left side. Since her hair was curly, they left some locks framing her face. Em helped Eliza with her make-up and when they were completely finished, Midge almost cried.

"You're so beautiful!" She flung herself into Eliza's arms.

Eliza's eye twitched. "You're not my mother on my wedding day."

Em laughed but joined in and the three friends shared a hug. Then they broke apart and Midge glanced at the clock.

"Oh! You're going to be late!"

They pushed her out the door, out of the Common Room and would have pushed her all the way to the Great Hall where she was to meet Matt if Eliza hadn't forbidden them. But she had to admit, it would have calmed her anxiety to have her friends with her when she entered the Great Hall.

Matt, who had been leaning against the grand staircase beamed when he saw her. She neared him, butterflies aflutter.

"You look beautiful," Matt said, offering his arm.

"Thank you," she smiled, winding her arm through his.

Together they left the school and made their way towards Hogsmead. It was a scenic route but it was cold and the pair wrapped their cloaks tighter against themselves and wound their scarfs tighter around their necks.

"How does The Three Broomsticks sound?" Matt asked as they entered Hogsmead.

"Sounds perfect!" Eliza replied, her mind already drifting to a warm fireplace and a bottle of butterbeer.

The place was packed, as usual, but this put Eliza at ease. She was getting tired of feeling so anxious about this date. She hadn't felt anxious when she had kissed Parker last year. And while the memory brought forward a rush of affection, it didn't stir her stomach around into knots.

This must just be how it is when you go on a date with a boy. But surely it must fade. Maybe he'd make her forget about them as the day went on.

Matt went to fetch the butterbeers and Eliza was tasked with finding a table. She did manage to find one way in the back. They'd be completely surrounded by kissing couples but there wasn't a lot of options. She waved Matt down when she saw him and he weaved through the tables to reach her.

"I always forget how packed this place gets," Matt said sitting down. "At least we won't freeze with all this body heat."

Eliza giggled.

The rest of the afternoon went by without incident. Matt was quite a flirt and Eliza a little shy, but they had a good time. When they'd exhausted topics they decided to brave the weather and begin their journey back to Hogwarts. When they were half the way back, it began to snow, but it quickly turned into sleet that blasted their cheeks and fell sharply on their heads.

Matt grabbed her hand tightly and glanced over at her. "Ready?"

"Ready for what?"

But the sentence had barely left her mouth when Matt broke out into a sprint. Eliza screeched in surprise but forced her legs to start moving to keep up with Matt. Despite the fact they were running from the icy rain, there was something about running along with Matt that made her feel carefree.

Once the castle was in sight, Matt attempted to run a little faster but he slipped in a growing pile of mud and instantly fell. Eliza had a split second to laugh before she was tugged after him and landed with a 'splat' in the mud. Covered in mud, Matt and Eliza looked at each other. Then, together, they burst out laughing.

Still chuckling, Eliza reached over to push Matt's soppy wet bangs out of his eyes. He looked to her, his eyes glowing and he carefully reached up to her face and used his thumb to wipe mud off of her cheeks. Eliza felt her heart speed up and her breath hitched. Matt leaned forward and gently caught her lips with his.

There were the butterflies again and that swooping feeling which made Eliza feel elated but anxious at the same time. Still, as they slowly broke apart, staring into each other's eyes, that stupid grin lit up her face. It must have been just what Matt was looking for because he leaned in again, stealing another kiss, which Eliza returned.

—

"What the hell happened to you!?" Jack, Parker, Arthur, Midge and Em exclaimed when Eliza returned to the Common Room drenched in mud.

"Umm…"

"I don't think she knows _how_ to go on dates," Jack whispered to Arthur who looked like he wanted to agree.

"Says you losers," Eliza spit her tongue out, moving to stand by the fire.

"Hey! I spent time with Pattie today!" Em piped up. "The _rest of them_ are losers."

"Oh she's right," said Midge dramatically, leaning into Jack as she threw an arm across her face. Jack playfully looked stricken before he laughed and placed a kiss atop Midge's head. Midge giggled, pleased someone was playing along with her and reached up to plant a kiss on Jack's cheek.

All at once, the other Hufflepuffs looked to one another, their eyebrows raised and trying to hide smiles. But no one said anything. They simply enjoyed the moment. Jack and Midge began to playfully dance with one another and Arthur started to pester Em about advice to dating girls, which was priceless to listen to. Parker wandered over to the fire, smirking at Eliza.

"Don't you think you should change out of that attire?"

Eliza glanced down at herself. "Yeah probably. How's my hair?"

Parker glanced up. "Uhhh…beautiful.."

But Parker was trying not to laugh and Eliza punched him in the arm before laughing herself. Telling her friends she was off to shower and moving towards her dorm, Eliza glanced over her shoulders to watch her friends be dorks. And it warmed her heart in such a cheesy way. She couldn't help but think that this might have been the best Valentine's Day ever.

—

Eliza took her time in the shower, making sure she scrubbed all the mud off her body and out of her hair. Dressed, Eliza walked out of their shared bathroom still drying her long hair with a towel. It was then that her eye caught the beautifully wrapped box on her nightstand. She'd forgotten all about it until now, but it brought a smile to her face and she sat at the edge of her bed, taking the small box in hand.

Gently, she undid the wrappings to find, what appeared to be a necklace box. Surprised, she opened the box. Gently laid in the soft velvet of the box was indeed a necklace. The chain was gold but the pendant was made out of glass and shaped like a badger. It was beautiful and Eliza assumed Regulus had made it himself, the way she'd made the figurine for him two Christmases ago.

Moving over to her mirror, Eliza put the necklace on. The pendant rested just below her collar bones. Smiling, she touched it softly. The glass was smooth and cool. Dropping her hand to her side, she was about to grab her brush when a flash in the mirror caught her attention. The pendant was now emitting a soft, golden glow. The pendant also felt slightly warm, not enough to hurt her but just enough to let her know it was there, and it was comforting in some way. Eliza beamed and touched it again. And she couldn't be exactly sure, but Eliza had a feeling a snake pendant was gently glowing green and warm as well. And another thought swam into her brain and settled there, just barely noticeable, that this was, indeed, the best Valentine's Day ever.

**Author's Note:**

**Just so you guys know, if you're shipping my characters please do. Please, _please_ do.**

**You've all been amazing to me; I can't thank you all enough!**


	11. Cherished

**11\. Cherished**

February turned to March, and March to April. Eliza and Matt went on a few more dates but as the weather grew warmer, they spent less and less time together. Matt was constantly studying for his OWLs, and the only times he wasn't, he was carrying out his prefect duties.

This was fine with Eliza. Her and Matt had never really had the "dating" talk and she was fine with their relationship how it was. If it'd been a while since they'd seen each other, Eliza might "happen across" him while he was doing his rounds and steal a kiss, but this was typically not necessary.

Eliza was busy enough, herself. She had her own classes to contend with and she still spent time committed to prepping for the war that was to come. Even though Eliza had made a decision to enjoy life in the moment, she also couldn't let pass the opportunity to practice with her friends. So about once a week they would get together and practice spells. And of course, her and Regulus had always come together to work on complex spells.

It was particularly hard to focus on the moment one morning at the Hufflepuff table when Em angrily set her paper down on the table. Parker had always gotten The Daily Prophet to watch for important things in the Ministry, and Em had decided she'd better keep up too.

"What's up?" Asked Midge.

Nothing good, Eliza guessed by the way Parker was grinding his teeth.

Em read from her paper. "Aurors reported yesterday that thirteen muggles were found murdered in their homes. All of the muggles were neighbors who lived at the end of a neighborhood. Auror Alastor Moody reported that it appeared to be a random act of violence and that these houses were probably selected so the murderers could go from one to another."

"It's disgusting!" Parker finally exclaimed, slamming his paper down on the table. An owl that had been delivering a letter nearby screeched and flew off in a flurry of feathers.

"_Thirteen_. Thirteen lives extinguish for sport!" Em hissed. "I've decided; I'm going to be an auror!"

"What?" Midge blinked.

"I am going to go out there and round up bastards like this! I swear it!" Em said, her face full of such determination it made Eliza feel empowered as well.

So enwrapped with the situation, Eliza didn't realize a scroll had been dropped atop her plate. She looked down to take a bite of food only to notice it sitting there. A green ribbon was tied around it.

"What's that?" Arthur asked, gaining the attention of their other friends.

Removing the ribbon, Eliza unrolled the scroll and skimmed the text.

"It's a party invitation," she said. "From Professor Slughorn. 'In honor of Kennilworthy Whisp'."

"Kennilworthy Whisp!?" Em and Parker gasped.

Eliza lowered the scroll so she could raise her eyebrows at them. "Apparently he's come to visit Professor Slughorn and he's throwing a lavish party for 'select few' (which means the favorites of his favorites) so he can show him off to us."

Em and Parker were gaping.

"_What_?" Eliza asked, annoyed.

"Do you know who Whisp is!? He's the most popular and respected Quidditch writer there is!" Parker said, his eyes flashing with envy.

"Sorry," Eliza squeaked, pulling away from their burning stares. "It doesn't say whether or not we can invite people."

Em waved the comment away. "Oh relax Eliza, it's fine. Right Parker?"

But Parker was poking moodily at his oatmeal. Em rolled her eyes. Eliza's eyes looked across the hall to the Slytherin table to see that Regulus was also holding a scroll. She saw his eyes roam the hall to find her and she flashed her own scroll. She subconsciously touched the pendant against her chest and a second later, felt it glow warm.

The party was set for the following weekend, the last weekend of April. _Formal dress _the invitation read. This caused Eliza to panic, but Midge cut in, reminding her they had a Hogsmead trip _this_ weekend and could go pick out a nice gown.

—

"What are you doing this weekend?" Matt asked later that week as he and Eliza strolled through the greenhouses. "There's a Hogsmead trip if you want to go?"

"Oh I'm already going with the girls," Eliza said. "They're taking me dress shopping."

"Dress shopping?"

"Yeah, Slughorn's throwing a party; it's a formal affair and I don't really have fancy things."

Matt frowned slightly. "You're a Slugger?"

"Pardon?"

"I mean, you're part of the Slug Club."

Eliza's lips twisted and she raised an eyebrow. "Uhh…I guess. Is that what people call us. Sluggers?"

"Don't worry about it," Matt said quickly, and moved the conversation in another direction.

Eliza's mind, however, wanted some more time to mill over the comment. Sluggers certainly sounded like a derogatory term. Probably made up by students jealous that they were not 'Sluggers' themselves. Eliza glanced at Matt, wondering if he was jealous of this, but currently he was chatting away, sometimes pointing to a plant. Eliza dropped the subject in her head and turned her attention to what Matt was talking about.

—

"Oh I'm in heaven!" Midge squealed, weaving in and out of the racks at Gladrags Wizardwear. Em and Eliza were forced to follow, giggling to themselves.

The girls set Eliza up next to a full length mirror and pulled a curtain around them. They brought forth dress after dress, making Eliza model each one, which would usually set them into a fit of giggles. It was actually a very enjoyable afternoon with her girlfriends and by the end, they had found a spectacular gown.

It was a minty green. The collar stretched all the way to the shoulders, leaving her upper chest and shoulders exposed. The sleeves themselves were short and only covered the upper portion of her arms. The dress was form fitting to the waist, from there the silky material didn't billow out too much, but didn't cling to her legs.

The girls also found a dragonfly comb that matched her dress. They had also found a necklace to go with the ensemble but Eliza turned that down; she already had a necklace in mind.

When they returned to the Common Room later that day, Parker was sulking, but he perked up a little when Eliza said she'd do her absolute best to get his autograph.

—

The day before the party, Eliza was heading to the Great Hall for lunch when she heard a familiar voice calling her name.

"Eliza!" Lily Evans called, trying to push through the crowd.

Eliza stepped out of the line of traffic, just outside the doors next to a statue. She waited for Lily to head over.

"Hi Lily! How are OWLs coming along?"

"Ugh, don't remind me," Lily said. "How are you? Rumor has it you've been seeing a certain Ravenclaw prefect."

"What's this? Lily Evans a _gossip_?"

Lily smiled. "Oh please, like it's a big secret. Matt's a sweetheart."

Eliza smiled and nodded but in the back of her head, she felt her subconscious shrug its shoulders. But Eliza dismissed this and tucked it away.

"Did you get invited to Slughorn's party?" Lily asked tentatively.

"Yes."

Visible relief showed on Lily's face. "Phew. Only a select few have been invited as I'm sure you know and the people that weren't are a little moody if you bring it up."

Lily rolled her eyes and Eliza laughed.

"I'll be there."

"I was wondering if you wouldn't mind meeting with me and heading to the party together?" Lily asked.

"Umm…sure? But don't you usually go with Severus?"

Sadness flickered across Lily's face and Eliza immediately felt sorry that she had caused it. Lily sighed. "Sev has just been…so distant lately. And he's always griping about this or that, even more than usual."

"That's alarming."

"I know. He'll be at the party and he's still my friend, but I would just really appreciate it if you walked down with me. Maybe hang around a little bit in case Sev is acting weird."

"Of course!"

"Oh thank you!" Lily said, giving Eliza a quick squeeze. "I'll meet you by the grand staircase?"

"I'll see you then!"

Lily smiled before rushing back through the crowd to, presumably, the library to study.

—

"Has anyone told you you're the most beautiful girl in the world?" Em said endearingly as she placed the dragonfly comb in Eliza's hair.

"Careful now, Em, or you'll make Pattie jealous," Midge smirked but admiring the work they'd done in the mirror.

Eliza looked into the mirror, surprised that it was her staring back. With her hair and make up all done up, she saw herself in a way she'd never really noticed before. Her cheekbones were higher than she'd thought and her heart-shaped face was thin and had lost it's pre-puberty padding. Her collar bones showed sharply against her skin and she felt so…beautiful.

Eliza brushed her lips with a bit of sparkling lip gloss and then donned her necklace. She touched the pendant. A minute later, it glowed yellow. Comfort swept over her like every time she felt that glow against her skin.

Em's eyes narrowed in on the necklace. She'd seen it a couple of times, but mostly Eliza wore it under her robes. She'd never seen it glow before.

"What was that?" She asked.

"What?" Eliza replied, not having paid any attention as she was now inspecting her hair.

"Your necklace flashed gold for a second. Where did you get that necklace anyway? It's beautiful."

Eliza really didn't want to tell them. She felt like it was a thing between her and Regulus. An unspoken bond they had between them. But she supposed, if she thought about it objectively, there really was no reason not to tell her friends.

"Regulus made it for me. This is what he gave me for Valentine's day."

"Why did it glow?" Midge asked.

At this question, Eliza grew weary. She really didn't want to tell them, but she knew they wouldn't stop asking. And so Eliza gave them an answer and she was surprised to find that her face was growing hot as she did so.

"Regulus has one too, shaped like a snake. If I touch mine, his glows. If he touches his, mine glows."

Saying it aloud made Eliza want to disappear into the floor. Her friends were looking at her as though she'd sprouted two heads.

"Regulus. Regulus Black. Regulus freaking Black made you a necklace so you always know when you're thinking about each other!?" Em was holding her head in her hands, like she was keeping it from exploding.

Midge was holding her heart. "That is the most beautiful thing I've ever heard!"

"_Regulus Black_," Em said, stuck in a cycle of disbelief.

"Can we please not talk about this?" Eliza groaned. Eliza didn't want to think about the things her friends were saying out loud.

Midge sighed dreamily. "Oh okay."

"_Regulus freaking Black_!"

"OKAY! I'm leaving now!" Eliza announced, ready to get the hell away from her friends. They said their goodbyes and Eliza made her way to meet Lily.

"Oh don't you look lovely!" Lily gushed rushing down the stairs to meet Eliza.

Eliza smiled. "So do you!"

Lily was wearing a green dress as well, but the color matched her eyes and went beautifully with her hair, which she had curled. Arm and arm, the two girls wandered to Slughorn's party, chatting away about this and that. Mostly about Lily's impending OWLs and what they had planned for summer break.

When they entered the corridor they immediately knew where Slughorn's party was located. They could hear music and the entrance to the room was glowing. The two girls entered to find that the party was very lavish indeed.

The room was lighted by balls of light. Most were a dim white but balls of soft blue and green and red floated around the edges of the room. The tables were filled with only the highest quality foods, served on silver platters. Everyone in attendance were dressed in their finest.

"This is amazing!" Eliza whispered to Lily who nodded enthusiastically.

Before they had the chance to really integrate into the party, Slughorn found them and ushered them to a tall figure standing beside a draped table.

"Kennilworthy! I'd like you to meet two of my brightest students! This here is Eliza Adwell, and this is Lily Evans."

Kennilworthy was very handsome, but almost seemed uncomfortable at being the center of attention. His hair was a dark brown and he wore glasses with thick black frames. He smiled a little awkwardly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is ours," Eliza said, reaching to shake his hand. "My friends speak very highly of you."

"Ah, are they not in attendance?" He asked while he shook Lily's hand.

"Unfortunately not. Though for a couple days I was a bit worried my friend might hide me in a closet and impersonate me so he could meet you."

Kennilworthy laughed at that, a warm laugh that made everyone around him want to laugh. "Well, how about an autograph?"

"You saved me the action of begging," Eliza beamed.

Kennilworthy laughed again. He poked his wand inside his robe and a second later he withdrew a book. "This is my own copy, but I have others." Using his wand, he opened the cover and used his wand to encrypt it.

"What's the name?" Kennilworthy asked.

"Parker."

He nodded and finished writing inside the cover. He then handed Eliza the book.

"I hope that will make up for his absence!" Kennilworthy said.

Eliza flashed him her most winning smile and thanked him profusely, although she did tell him she'd still never be forgiven for having gotten the opportunity to meet him.

Lily was still laughing as the two made their way away from Slughorn and Kennilworthy. "That was rather amusing!"

"Enough to be worth the invite?"

"Oh for sure," Lily smiled.

"Have you seen Severus?" Eliza asked, glancing around.

Lily frowned. "No, I haven't." Her face lit up in recognition. "But I do see someone worth seeing."

Eliza glanced over her shoulder in question to see Regulus Black walking towards them. He was wearing dressrobes. They were mostly black but any clothing underneath appeared to be green. Eliza couldn't help but notice he looked rather dashing.

"Hello, Regulus," Lily said.

Regulus nodded. "Good evening, Lily. How are you?"

"I've just been telling people I'm fine."

Eliza chuckled and Regulus smirked before turning his attention to Eliza.

"Where is Matthew?" Regulus asked conversationally, which made Eliza's eyebrows raise. Regulus was not in the habit of asking or even speaking about Matthew.

"Well, I wasn't sure if we were allowed to bring guests this time. But he'd probably be too busy preparing for his OWLs."

"Oh. Well in that case, may I steal you for a dance?"

His question was directed at Lily, which made her smile. She gave Eliza a warm smile. "If you need me, I'll be by the champagne table."

Eliza smiled and held out the autographed book that Lily said she would keep safe for her. Eliza turned her attention back to Regulus. "Well it seems that I'm free."

Regulus gave a small bow, which made Eliza giggle, and she took his hand and led him into a darkened corner of the room where the blue balls of light were hovering. A few other couples were dancing to the music around them.

Regulus weaved his fingers through hers and put his free hand on her hip. In return, Eliza placed her free hand on his shoulder.

Eliza hadn't much experience in formal dancing, and she found herself to be rather clumsy; especially compared to Regulus who moved so gracefully Eliza wanted to hit him in jealousy. Regulus was not lost on the fact that Eliza was a bad dancer and his eyes gleamed with mirth as he gently spun her around.

"You're laughing at me," Eliza pouted.

"Internally."

Eliza glared and smacked him in the chest with her free hand. This caused him to chuckle and he pulled Eliza against him to trap her arm. Eliza tilted her head up to glare at Regulus when she felt like lightning struck her.

Regulus was gazing down at her and his silver eyes were the softest she'd ever seen them. His bangs were getting long and a few black locks fell into his eyes. And she was suddenly aware of the angles of his face that had sharpened from the first time she'd seen him on the Hogwarts Express. And she became acutely aware of how tall he'd gotten. And how her hand fit perfectly with his.

"That's not fair," Eliza whispered, breathless. Her insides were squirming and she wasn't sure if they were butterflies or straight out anxiety over the warmth she felt in her face.

Regulus' perfectly shaped lips quirked into a smirk and completed the look that was so inherently Regulus. His silver eyes bored into Eliza's golden ones and she felt like he was looking straight through her, to her soul. And the thought horrified her, because her heart was aflutter and her brain was scrambling and her stomach was swooping.

"Probably not," he murmured. "Yet here we are."

Eliza found that she had nothing to say to this; and so she rested her head against Regulus' chest. She listened to the beating of his heart, and only vaguely wondered why it was so comforting. Since Regulus kept her arm trapped, he swayed them slowly around, which Eliza found she could handle just fine.

In fact, the pair danced to three songs before they even realized the first one had ended. Eliza stepped away from Regulus and immediately felt the loss of his body heat. Eliza took his hand and led him over to the nearest seat, which was a bench enchanted so it looked like it came straight out of a fairy garden.

"Have you met Kennilworthy?" Eliza asked as they sat. She kept her hand in Regulus' and rested them against his thigh.

Regulus shrugged. "We had a short conversation."

"He's very charming," Eliza said, glancing over to find him chatting with a pair of girls.

"You think so?" Regulus raised an eyebrow.

"You're not jealous are you?"

Another eyebrow.

Eliza giggled. "I don't think he could do that quite so perfectly. But then again, that's not very charming is it?"

"Do I need to be charming?" Regulus asked.

"Depends," Eliza shrugged.

"On?"

"Well, if you wanted to find yourself a girlfriend." The sentence left her mouth fine, but when it echoed back in her head, something clenched in her heart.

"That sounds like a lot of work."

"Oh, poor Regulus. How difficult it must be to be dark and brooding and have all the girls flock to you."

"There's girls flocking to me?"

"I don't know, are there?" Eliza raised an eyebrow. "Surely you've been approached by some?"

At this, Regulus actually shifted, a telltale sign that the conversation had gotten awkward. And that there were, indeed, girls that were interested in him. And of course there would be. Even if one didn't care about his blood status (although of course the Slytherin girls would), Regulus was handsome, brilliant and an all together gifted wizard. A bit stunted in certain social situations, a bit withdrawn, but if you dug deep enough you would find, well… Eliza subconsciously touched her pendant again.

Eliza was surprised to see a faint flash of green coming from Regulus' left wrist. She didn't know why she was so surprised to find him wearing it. He obviously did because Eliza's necklace would always react, but something about seeing him wearing it…

The feeling was indescribable. She was scared to put a word to it. It made her feel special. No…not special. She felt…_cherished_. She felt _safe_. She felt…_loved_.

Eliza slowly looked up to Regulus' face and once again, he was already watching hers. It felt like the air was charge with electricity. When her eyes locked with Regulus', she felt her heart pull. But in a good way. Like it was beating faster, but like it was supposed to. And there was butterflies in her stomach, but she just _knew_ they weren't due to anxiety. It was her mind, however, that was in a panic.

'What are you doing!?' It cried. 'This is Regulus. _Your best friend_!' 'You don't know what you're feeling!' 'This is wrong; you can't be feeling this!'

But Regulus' hand was gently rubbing up and down her arm and Eliza suddenly felt something she'd never felt before. _Desire_.

'What are you doing!?' Her mind screamed.

And suddenly, Eliza felt like she was drowning. Her heart was racing and everything around her felt charged and there was this new feeling, that she didn't know what it meant, or what to do with it, and her mind was telling her something and the rest of her body didn't know why. And this all came crashing at her and she thought she might panic-

"'Liza…"

Suddenly, the panic evaporated. Her mind was subdued, her body immediately felt calm. She looked at Regulus. He still held one of her hands, but the other was moving a curl away from her face. His eyes were searching her face. Like he'd known Eliza was drowning and he had to save her. How in the world he could know such a thing, she had no idea. But he knew. He _knew_ her.

Regulus leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. A small smile slipped onto Eliza's lips. Regulus then gave her a small smile of his own, tucking a strand a hair behind her ear.

_Cherished. Safe. Loved._

—

Eliza stood outside the Great Hall doors, leaning against a wall. She was willing away the time by immersing herself in one of her romance novels. It was one of her favorites, as it was the female character of the story that was saving the prince. She'd just reached the end of a chapter when the doors opened and a mass of chatting students filed out.

Eliza closed her book, stowing it in her bag as she watched the students. She saw Lily and waved to her, and Lily in turn gave her a thumbs up, signaling that she'd thought she'd done well on her exam. Today was DADA if Eliza wasn't mistaken.

Finally she saw Matt and hurried over to him, falling into step beside him.

"How'd it go?" Eliza asked.

"I think it went okay," Matt replied. "But I got stuck on a question about vampires. I couldn't remember if they're actually repelled by garlic or if that's a muggle myth."

"I'm pretty sure that's true."

"Damn," Matt frowned.

Eliza smiled. "Come on, let's get you outside. I think you need some sunshine and it's beautiful out today."

Most of the fifth years seemed to have the same idea. With only one exam left to take, they headed outside to rest their brains.

"Just Transfiguration left," Matt said as they found a shady spot to sit on the grass. He appeared extremely preoccupied about the exam and Eliza offered to help him study. Matt eagerly withdrew a book from his backpack and pushed it into Eliza's hands. They'd gotten part way through the study material when they heard yelling.

"Leave him ALONE!"

Matt and Eliza looked up to see a gathering of students around a tree several yards away from theirs. They scrambled to their feet to see the students forming a circle around James, Sirius and Lily. Lily's face was twisted with anger. Eliza quickly rushed over and as she drew nearer, she saw that Severus Snape was on the grass, spitting out what appeared to be pink froth.

"All right, Evans?" James asked.

"Leave him alone," Lily repeated. "What's he done to you?"

"Well, it's more the fact that he exists if you know what I mean…"

Matt sidled up to Eliza's side and whispered in her ear. "What's going on?"

Eliza whispered back but her gaze never left the scene in front of her. "Looks like Lily is telling them off. They're bullying Snape. So really nothing new."

But that wasn't _exactly_ the case because when James told Snape he was lucky Lily had shown up to save him, he angrily shouted: "I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!"

There was a collective gasp from the crowd. Eliza's hand flew to her mouth in shock. She expected to see Lily look hurt, but instead her face went completely blank.

"Fine," she said coolly. "I won't bother in the future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, _Snivellus_."

Eliza's mind was reeling as Lily went back to shouting at James. She replayed every conversation she'd had with Lily, remembering all the times she felt like Severus was growing distant from her, or her worry about his interest in the dark arts.

Eliza wanted to go after Lily as she stormed away, but her friends were already following her and Eliza felt that maybe Lily needed some time. As James and Sirius went back to taunting Snape, Eliza turned away, walking in the opposite direction.

"Poor Lily," Eliza said sadly.

Matt was silent for a moment before replying. "Well…I don't think I can say I'm surprised."

Eliza looked over at him. "What do you mean?"

"Well I mean…she's muggle-born and he's a Slytherin. I'm surprised they were friends this long."

Eliza stopped, watching Matt closely. "Not all Slytherins hate muggle-borns."

"I find that extremely hard to believe."

"People aren't sorted into Slytherin only if they're pure-blood fanatics."

Matt raised an eyebrow. "Maybe not, but that doesn't mean most of them aren't."

Eliza crossed her arms stubbornly. "You can't just lump everyone together like that."

"Well I'm not wrong. Look at Lily and Snape. They were inseparable and yet Snape clearly holds his beliefs in higher favor; and he's not even one of the 'Sacred Twenty-Eight'."

Eliza stiffened. "Are you trying to say something?"

"Look; I've never said anything about your friendship with Black, but don't you think you should be more careful? Especially with how dedicated you are to resisting the movement? "

Eliza bristled at that. "Because he's a pure-blood?"

"Yes, Eliza. Do you want what just happened to happen to you?"

Eliza glared. "How dare you."

Furious, Eliza turned sharply on her heel and stomped away from Matt and towards the castle. She faintly heard him call after her but she didn't stop. She made her way to the Common Room and to her dorm, slamming the door behind her. Angrily she flopped down on her bed. Matt's words were echoing in her head, making her scowl. But she couldn't escape a memory from December that bobbed to the surface of her mind.

_"Ah! , ! Always so happy you can come!" Grinned Professor Slughorn. He was dressed in bottle-green robes and held a glass of champagne in one hand._

_"Happy Christmas, Professor," Eliza smiled._

_"And to you my dear!" He nodded to Regulus before moving to talk to another group._

_"I'm going to make the rounds," Regulus said to Eliza. "Do you want to come?"_

_"Oh no, I'm alright. In fact, there's Lily!" Eliza said, spotting the red head near the back of the room._

_Regulus followed Professor Slughorn while Eliza made her way to Lily. She didn't get to speak with her as often as she'd like, with Lily being in a different House and year, but Eliza always enjoyed hanging out with her when she got the chance. Preferably if she wasn't with Severus Snape, however. Eliza always felt weird around Snape; he always gave off an uneasy vibe and he was dower company at best._

_Thus she was pleased, albeit surprised, when she met with Lily and Snape was not with her. Lily was leaning against the wall, drink in hand, arms crossed. Her cheeks were flushed and she seemed to be glaring at nothing in particular._

_"Hi Lily! Are you okay?"_

_Lily glanced up and, seeing Eliza, softened her expression. "Oh, hello Eliza. Yes, I'm fine."_

_"You don't look fine," Eliza frowned, leaning against the wall next to her._

_Lily pushed a lock of hair out of her face and sighed. "Just had a little spat with Sev."_

_"Oh…are you okay?"_

_"Yeah…I just…well, you understand, don't you?"_

_"Understand what?"_

_"Well…" Lily's green eyes passed over the room until they found Regulus. "You know…they're in Slytherin. And I'm the first one to hate the stigma of that trust me...but...with the movement that's been going on...Did you know that some of Slytherin House are full-on supporters of Voldemort?"_

_Eliza's gaze found Regulus as well. "Well…I suspected. Some of them are just…I hear the things they say sometimes…"_

_She chose not to mention what had happened to Midge._

_"Exactly," Lily frowned. "There's so much influence and pressure there and I can't help wonder how much of it is affecting Sev…"_

_"You think he supports Voldemort?"_

_Lily looked deeply troubled._

_"But how could he?" Eliza asked, trying to play Devil's advocate. "You're his best friend. Certainly he can't agree with a world where you wouldn't be welcomed."_

_Lily shrugged. "I don't know…sometimes I think Sev is drawn to the power of it all. And I know that his friends have made…comments about his being friends with me."_

_Eliza frowned. Poor Lily. She was so sweet and helpful and selfless. A renewed anger for the movement burned in Eliza's gut._

_"But you must understand," Lily continued, glancing back to Eliza. "With Regulus being from such a prominent family…surely he's under a lot of pressure to join."_

_"I'm sure he is…" Eliza looked back to him. "But…I don't know…I just can't see him being so hateful. All the murders and disappearances…I just have a hard time believing he would be okay with all that."_

_"Me too…" Lily whispered, more to herself._

_"Have you tried talking about this to Severus?" Eliza asked._

_Lily nodded. "Yes. Many times. But he always gets defensive. I've tried to tell him that his friends are dangerous and what they'd do to people like me if they were in power…but it's like he doesn't care."_

_"Maybe it's just the pressure that he's under. Maybe it just makes him a little testy?" Eliza suggested._

_Lily sighed. "Maybe."_

_But Lily didn't seem convinced. Which was entirely fair because Eliza had only said it to make her feel better. She had no trouble believing that Severus Snape might support the movement. Granted, she felt he cherished Lily, but perhaps he was deluded? Maybe he thought she'd be spared if she was with him?_

_Eliza glanced to Regulus. Lily had been right. He probably was under immense pressure to support the movement. But she just couldn't see him murdering, ripping families apart. Not her sweet Regulus._

_In an attempt to cheer Lily up, she asked about Lily's holiday plans. To her relief, this helped a little and before long, the girls' minds were on happier things._

Eliza sighed heavily. She touched the pendant beneath her robes. Her mind wandered to Regulus. For the last several months, Eliza hadn't been plagued with worry over Regulus' beliefs. Rather, she felt more connected to him than ever. But Matt had put that nagging feeling back in her head.

Staring up at the ceiling, Eliza lost herself inside her head. It was worried. There was so much evidence that Regulus might side with the enemy. Real reason to be concerned. But her heart just couldn't believe it. But her brain was telling her not to listen to her heart.

The conflicted feelings Eliza had been free from continued to haunt her. Could her friendship with Regulus really end like Lily's and Snape's? The thought filled her with despair. She couldn't imagine a life without Regulus in it.

Just then, she felt a gentle warmth on her chest. Eliza closed her eyes, peaceful for a moment. She grasped the pendant in her hand and didn't let go.

**Author's Note:**

**We are officially half way through the story!**

**Reviews are a way to make us author's feel cherished! Til next time my lovely readers!**


	12. Something Worth Fighting For

**12\. Something Worth Fighting For**

It was the second week of August when Eliza received her textbook list and a reminder about what time the Hogwarts Express departed on September 1st. Eliza was having breakfast with her mother when the owl arrived. Penelope glanced up from her coffee at the sound of pecking on the window. She looked tired, but she always looked tired these days. She was continuing to work long hours; not just because the Ministry was busy, but because she was working on a counter argument against another anti-muggle-born legislation.

Eliza got up from the table and slid open the window. The owl dropped onto the cill and held out it's leg. Eliza removed the envelope tied there and the owl took off. The envelope felt heavier than usual and Eliza rushed back to the table in excitement.

Her mother watched as she tore open the envelope, reached inside, and pulled out a metal badge. It was yellow and black, emblemed with a badger. Atop the badger was a 'P'.

"You've made prefect!" Penelope said excitedly, looking happier than she had in a very long time. "Oh I'm so proud of you!"

She got out of her seat and gave Eliza a tight hug. Eliza herself was grinning.

"Tonight we'll have a nice dinner!" Penelope said, still smiling. "I'll get home early and we can celebrate."

"I would like that," Eliza said.

Penelope gave her daughter a kiss on the head before heading to the fireplace. Eliza watched her disappear in the green flames before looking back at her badge. She was still admiring it when there was another tapping noise coming from the window. Eliza looked over in surprise, finding yet another owl pecking at the glass.

Hurrying over, Eliza opened the window so that the owl could fly in. It held out its leg and Eliza detached the scroll. She quickly got a small bowl of water for the owl, which hooted gratefully. While it drank, Eliza opened the scroll.

_Eliza,_

_Did you get your letter yet? Mine came this morning. I've made prefect. I guess that means no more late night strolls for you._

_-Regulus_

Eliza smiled, retrieving some parchment and a quill. She scrawled a reply.

_Goes to show what you know. I've made prefect too. I can stroll all night long._

_-Eliza_

Eliza rolled up the small bit of parchment and tied it to the owl's leg. It hooted once more before taking off back home.

—

"Elizaaaa!" Em screeched, pouncing on the blonde and wrapping her in a tight hug.

"Jesus Em, you just saw her last week," Parker rolled his eyes, walking over towards them.

"Oh yeah, I found Parker," Em waved her hand airily. He shot her a glare.

"In the Quidditch store?"

"How'd you know?"

Eliza rolled her eyes. "I'm worried when it comes time to pick a new captain. Are you guys still going to be friends when one of you gets it?"

"I think _I_ should get it," said Em. "Parker already gets to be prefect."

"Do you even _want_ to be prefect?" Parker raised an eyebrow.

"That's besides the point," Em said. "So, shall we?"

The three began their shopping trip. They all had to get new robes, for they'd grown out of their old ones. They restocked their Potions kits and headed to the bookstore for the new textbooks they'd need.

"Do we know who the other prefects are?" Parker asked as they sat at Fortescue's, spoon deep in some butterbeer ice cream.

"Well there's still Lily and Remus from Gryffindor. You and me for Hufflepuff. Matthew is presumably still Ravenclaw's. Regulus is Slytherin's, but I don't know who his partner will be," Eliza said, ticking off on her fingers.

"Speaking of Matthew; are you two still seeing each other?" Em asked.

"Uh…no, not really," Eliza said, becoming very interested in her ice cream.

"'Not really'? What kind of answer is that? Are you or aren't you?" Em demanded.

"We haven't spoken since the end of term," Eliza said.

Which was true. Eliza hadn't said anything to him. He'd tried to find her before the end of term, but she always managed to evade him. He'd sent her a letter at the beginning of break, but she hadn't answered.

"Did something happen?" Parker asked.

Eliza didn't feel like telling them the truth so she just shrugged. "Guess we just kind of…fizzled out."

"Oh…"

Eliza put a cheerful smile on her face and looked at Em. "So how's Pattie?"

—

Eliza didn't go home until it was past dinner time. She didn't see the need, as her mother often worked late, and she'd been having fun with her friends. When she did return home and stepped out of the fireplace, she discovered that her mother _was_ home. She was sitting on the sofa, crying.

"Mum? Mum what is it?" Eliza asked urgently, dropping to her knees in front of her mother.

Penelope looked up, tears brimming in her once vibrant eyes. "It's…"

"Mum, what is it?" Eliza pressed again when her mother took a long pause.

"It's Albert," her mother reached up to wipe a tear from her face. "He and his family were murdered."

"Who was Albert?"

"He's one of the wizards working with me to strike down that legislation last week."

Eliza's blood chilled.

"Mum…"

"I've put protective enchantments around our home," Penelope reassured her daughter, but her face was grim.

"We have to fight, don't we?" Eliza said quietly. It wasn't really a question. She'd known of course that it was coming. But it never felt as real as it did now; so close to her own family.

Penelope's nod came out more of a jerk. "The war is here, 'Liza."

"Then we'll be ready."

Penelope's stricken face found her daughter's.

"I can't…Eliza, no! I will not lose you!"

"Mum. You can't live in fear of what will happen to me. I am strong, because you are strong. We will face this war together."

"You're not even of age…"

"War doesn't care how old I am. Mum, I will fight, because you raised me to fight. If there is ever that mark above our home…"

Penelope gave out a high-pitched groan.

"_Listen_. If that day comes, then you know I fought, that I made the world better. Because you can bet I'll have taken those bastards with me."

Penelope said nothing, tears only rolled down her cheeks.

"We will fight this war. And we will win. And do you know why?"

Still, Penelope made no noise.

"Because WE have something worth fighting for," Eliza reached out and grabbed her mother's hands. "This war is bigger than me. Than both of us. But the both of us can still make a difference."

Eliza brought a hand to her mother's face and took in the dark circles beneath her eyes. The premature wrinkles lining her face.

Eliza smiled sadly. "But first…you need to sleep. I'll whip you up a sleeping draught."

"Eliza…"

But Eliza was already heading for her alchemist set. "Just a weak one, okay?"

And she sent to work. And the words were lost in the silence, only broken here or there by the grinding of a pestle or the clinking of vials. Penelope drooped against the armrest, looking more ragged than she ever had in her life. Finally, Eliza finished her work and brought a glass of light purple liquid to her mother.

Penelope took the glass with a sad smile. "Have you ever thought about being a healer?"

Eliza smiled. "I may have heard that recommendation before."

"I think you would be wonderful at it."

Penelope drank the entire potion and Eliza helped her mother to bed. She tucked her in and extinguished the lights. But when Eliza made it to her bed, she found that she could not sleep. She worried for her mother. If she would be safe; if the world would be safe. If any of them would survive this war.

—

Penelope held Eliza as tightly as she could and planted a kiss atop her head. Eliza hugged her back equally as tight, taking in the familiar scent of her perfume. Slowly, they pulled away and Eliza looked up to find tears in her mother's eyes.

"Mum, please don't cry," Eliza said.

Penelope tried to smile, but she couldn't muster it. She pulled Eliza into another hug. "I love you, 'liza."

"I love you too," Eliza whispered back. She pulled away. "Promise me you will be safe."

Penelope cupped Eliza's face in her hands. "Don't worry about me. Worry about school. Try to be a teenager."

Eliza smiled weakly. "I'll try."

The pair exchanged another long hug. They broke away when the train gave a warning whistle. Eliza turned to walk towards the scarlet train. Stepping into the doorway, Eliza took once glance back at her mother. Her mother blew her a kiss and Eliza smiled, waving goodbye.

Once upon the train, Eliza headed for the prefect cabin. When she slid back the door, she found that most everyone was already there. Her eyes swept over everyone. Her eyes briefly met with Matthew and she quickly diverted them. Stepping into the cabin, she took a seat between Lily and Regulus. Lily greeted her and Regulus nodded at her. Parker greeted her as well. He was seated across from her and sitting beside the new female Slytherin prefect.

Alecto Carrow was thin and tall. Her face was very angular with high cheek bones and full lips. Her black hair fell over her shoulder in a plait. Icy-blue eyes discreetly watched Regulus although she pretended to be looking out the window.

Eliza immediately didn't like her; although her brain reminded her that she had absolutely no reason to dislike her. But she did. With her pretty cheekbones and her pretty hair and her pretty eyes and her plump lips.

"Eliza," Lily whispered in her ear, so quiet Eliza barely heard her and no one else in the car would be able to hear her. "You're glaring."

Eliza blinked and glanced at Lily who raised her eyebrows. Eliza cleared her throat and tried not to look at Alecto for the duration of the trip.

When it came time to do rounds, Eliza and Parker wandered up and down the train.

"Look at all these little first years," Parker said delightfully, peering through the glass doors on the cabins. "Do you think we used to be that small?"

"Pretty sure Midge is _still_ that small," Eliza replied.

Parker laughed and they conveniently found their friends' cabin not two minutes later. They slid open the door and slipped inside.

Midge, Jack, Arthur, Em and Pattie occupied the car.

"Ah, if it isn't our favorite crime-fighting duo," Em announced.

"You're so dramatic," Pattie said.

"Yeah. We're more like your favorite point-docking duo," Parker said, taking a seat next to Arthur.

"Do you plan to do a lot of point-docking?" Arthur asked.

"And abuse my power?" Parker looked purposely scandalized.

They remained with their friends for a while longer but as the afternoon moved on, Parker and Eliza returned to the prefect car. Eliza was not happy with what she found.

Alecto had taken Eliza's seat next to Regulus and was engaged in conversation with him. She was laughing at something Regulus said just as Eliza had slid back the door. A sting of jealousy hit her. That was her spot. But she said nothing and took Alecto's prior seat and Parker sat beside her. Trying to distract herself, Eliza pulled out a romance novel and tried to block out the romance Alecto was clearly trying to inspire.

—

"Anything in the paper today?" Eliza asked, pouring herself some pumpkin juice.

Parker, who finished scanning the pages, shook his head and returned to his eggs.

"Good," Em said. "Now we can concentrate on the injustice that is our classes."

"We've been here _three days_, Em," Midge said, eyebrow raised.

"It's going to be a rough year," Em said morosely, chewing unenthusiastically at her toast.

" , can you come with me?"

Eliza glanced over her shoulder to find Professor Sprout.

"It's only the third day of term; how did you manage to get in trouble already?" Parker asked.

"Oh hush," Eliza told him, but Professor Sprout did look grave.

Abandoning her breakfast and picking up her knapsack, Eliza followed Professor Sprout to her office near the Hufflepuff Common Room. Eliza had never been in it. Professor Sprout herself never spent a lot of time there. But Eliza knew the office was adjoined to her chambers.

Professor Sprout's office looked very similar to the Common Room. The light glowed pleasantly and it was filled with plants. Many waved as Sprout and Eliza entered the room. Sprout gestured to the chair in front of her desk and Eliza took a seat there. She expected Sprout to take a seat behind her desk, but she did not. Instead, she conjured a chair out of thin air and placed it next to Eliza's.

"Is everything okay?" Eliza asked. She was thoroughly confused. She hadn't done anything to get into trouble.

Professor Sprout took a seat and folded her hands in her lap. They didn't stay there however. Professor Sprout leaned towards Eliza and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Eliza, dear….I don't know how to tell you this…"

Eliza's breath caught in her throat as dread swirled in her gut.

"Eliza…your mother was found this morning at your home…She was…I'm so sorry dear, but she was dead."

Professor Sprout was saying something, but Eliza didn't hear her. All she could hear was a buzzing sound. Her body felt numb. Her vision was blurry. There was something running down her cheeks.

"Eliza…I understand how hard this must be. Is there anyone I can contact? A family member…?"

"No…I have no one," Eliza heard herself say. It didn't sound like her voice.

"Should I bring one of your friends in? Emlyn? Or Midge?"

"Regulus Black," the strangled voice said.

Professor Sprout conjured a box of tissues and handed them to Eliza. Mumbling reassurances, she left the room, presumably in search of Regulus Black. Eliza sat in her chair, tears pouring from her eyes silently.

How could her mother be dead? Eliza was just with her four days ago. And now Eliza would never see her ever again. She'd been worried about her mother's safety but yet, the idea of her dying had seemed unfathomable. Even now, the idea seemed like an abstract thought that she couldn't quite comprehend.

Eliza was unaware of how much time had passed but, finally, the door to Professor Sprout's office opened and she stepped into the room, Regulus behind her. He took once glance at Eliza and moved over to her, taking the chair that Professor Sprout had vacated.

"Eliza…" Regulus said softly.

Eliza pulled her head up to look at him. Slowly, he leaned forward and wrapped her in a hug. And then the grief really hit her, knocking into her. The tears came quicker and her whole body shook. Her heart was physically aching. She wanted to tear it out to make the pain stop. But all she could do was sob. The kind of heart-wrenching sob that was trademark of heartbreak.

Regulus said nothing, he only held her, stroking her hair. Professor Sprout quietly murmured to Regulus that she would leave them alone and that they could stay as long as they wanted. Eliza heard none of it. She just continued to sob, clutching onto Regulus desperately, an anchor to keep her from drowning in her grief.

By midday, Eliza's sobbing finally faded. She felt she had cried out all of her tears, but then a memory would come to her and new ones would well in her eyes.

At some point, Midge, Emlyn and Parker came into Sprout's office. They had clearly been told the news, as their faces were solemn and they looked positively dejected to see their friend so heartbroken in Regulus' arms.

"Eliza…" Emlyn said softly, coming up to put a gentle hand on her friend's arm. "Sweetie, why don't we get you to bed…"

But Eliza gripped harder to Regulus' robes and buried her face further into his chest. She couldn't let go of him, or she felt like she'd be completely lost.

Em and Regulus shared a look and Em sighed, trying to think of what to do. Parker and Midge drew closer and joined in the whispered conversation that Eliza could scarcely hear in the throes of her grief and fatigue.

"We have to get her out of here. Regulus, you must be so uncomfortable sitting in this chair this whole time," said Midge.

"I don't think she's going to want to leave without you," Em frowned.

"Well…can we sneak him into our Common Room?" Parker asked, glancing to the girls.

"I mean…I don't think we really have to 'sneak', except from teachers. But he can't get into the girls dormitory," Em said.

"You could take her to our dorm," Parker told Regulus. "We can just camp out in the Common Room."

The plan was decided upon. It was the middle of the day with classes going on so the short trip to their Common Room, literally just down the hall, wouldn't be an issue. And hardly anybody would be in the Common Room, and even if someone was, Parker would just tell them to bugger off.

"Eliza…can you walk?" Em asked gently.

"I'll just carry her," Regulus said. Eliza was already cradled in his lap so he just lifted her as he stood and the group made their way to the boys' dormitory.

Eliza hardly noticed the journey. She was in an exhausted state, awake just enough to feel the pain in her heart but not much else.

Parker led Regulus through the Common Room and into the dorm he shared with Arthur and Jack.

"This is my bed," Parker said, pointing to it. "Just stay with her, okay? Take care of her…"

There was a touch of sadness in his voice that caused Regulus to watch him closely for a moment before he nodded. Parker took his leave and Regulus sat back on the bed, bringing Eliza with him.

"Eliza…"

His voice vaguely resinated with her but she too tired to respond. He rested his chin atop her head and murmured something she couldn't hear. Finally, she fell asleep.

—

Eliza had become a shadow of her former self following her mother's death. Her friends, including Regulus, pulled together in an attempt to pull her from her grief, but their best efforts yielded little results. September turned to October will little improvement. By November, Eliza was once again joining in on activities and conversations, but a smile or a true laugh were still absent. She was finally able to attend to her prefect duties (although she refused to do her rounds with anyone that wasn't Regulus or Parker). She was less of the husk she had become initially, but the grief still marked her plainly.

One afternoon in early December, Regulus Black slid into a seat at the Hufflepuff table. It was the seat Eliza had vacated just two minutes prior, but her friends remained.

"Good afternoon, Regulus," Midge greeted before finishing the sandwich in her hand.

Regulus nodded in acknowledgement before peeking over his shoulder to make sure Eliza had made her way out of the Great Hall. Satisfied she had and would not overhear, Regulus turned a serious stare on the Hufflepuffs.

"Has Eliza said anything about the holiday?" Regulus asked.

Em frowned and turned to her friends. "No…I don't think so."

Her friends shook their heads to say that they hadn't heard anything either.

"With her mother gone….all she has is her father," Em said quietly, her frown deepening.

Regulus gave a nod. "I assumed she'd be staying at Hogwarts but I didn't really want to broach the topic of her father to her. So I was hoping she'd already mentioned it."

The Hufflepuffs all shook their heads again but Parker agreed with Regulus, that she probably planned on staying during the holidays.

As they grew nearer, Eliza's mood began to dip again, which her friends were expecting. They did their best to distract her during the day, but at night Midge and Em would wake to her softly crying.

Two Fridays before break there was a massive snowfall that covered the Hogwarts grounds in mounds of snow. And so it was no surprise that Saturday morning, Jack and Arthur approached the Hufflepuff table with serious looks on their faces.

"Alright gang, I'm challenging you all to a snowball fight," Jack said, resting his hands on the table like he was general looking over his plans.

Parker raised his eyebrows. "I hate to break it to you mate, but I would _destroy_ you."

Jack glared but Em piped up. "What about you three versus us three?"

"We'd annihilate them, Em," Midge said with mock concern for their male counterparts.

"Good," Em stood. "Eliza, Midge, let's suit up."

"But…my oatmeal," Eliza said sadly.

"No time!" Em announced and pressured Eliza out of her seat. The boys followed them back to the Common Room and they all dressed in their warmest clothes, gloves, hats and scarves. Em made Eliza and Midge dress as fast as they could so they could get a head start.

"Hurry up you guys," she said, walking as fast as she could to the front doors. "We have to get to work on a suitable fort!"

Eliza laughed despite herself and the girls hurried outside. The following snowball fight was of epic proportions. People kept joining, from all the Houses and eventually no one knew who was on whose team anymore. Instead it was every wizard for themselves. Both Parker and Em declared themselves the victors of one of the greatest snowball fights Hogwarts had ever seen and they argued about it all the way back to the Common Room to change.

Eliza held onto the moment as long as she could, using it as a shield against her grief. She'd been trying to do that the past few weeks. She knew her grief had overwhelmed her far more than it should have but she felt powerless against it. But these little stolen moments of happiness fought back, and Eliza worked hard to stay above the grief that always threatened to consume her if she let her guard down.

—

"So, I have it on good authority that there's going to be a party Christmas Eve. I think it's going to be in one of the unused classrooms near the Astronomy tower," Regulus said, taking out parchment and quill and placing it atop the table.

Eliza frowned and quirked an eyebrow.

"I don't really _want_ to go, but if you want to, we can," he continued.

"Regulus," Eliza said, stopping him from saying anything further. "What are you talking about?"

"I just told you?"

"Since when do you stay here for Christmas?" Eliza asked flatly.

"I just…well…Sirius is coming back this Christmas, and I don't expect it to be a loving reunion. He was gone practically all summer, just popping by every now and again so he could technically say he lived there. There's probably going to be a lot of fighting. It makes the entire break unbearable to be honest. So I thought I'd spare myself the trouble. And come to think of it, then we can spend the break together. Maybe we can find another complex spell to master."

Eliza was watching Regulus blankly the entire time. But by the time he'd finished talking, she was smiling softly. A little smile, but it was a _real_ smile and they were so rare since her mother had died. Something soared in Regulus' chest at the sight of it and he committed it to memory before she turned her attention to her book and her smile fell again.

—

In a fair world, the loss of her mother, especially in the face of the coming holiday, would be the only problem Eliza had to contend with. But the world can be cruel, and in this case, it was.

The day after Regulus told her he'd be staying over the holidays, Eliza decided to nip up to the prefects' lounge to sort something out in her schedule. The knowledge that she wouldn't be spending Christmas alone had given Eliza a bit more energy and she was using it to take care of small matters and cram more information into her head.

It had been difficult to have her mother murdered in the beginning of her OWL year. It had been difficult to maintain her grades while grieving. More to the point, it was hard to care about maintaining her grades and preparing for her looming examinations in her grief. She'd been managing much better lately, however. As she'd been able to pull herself from the deepest fathoms of her grief, she began to focus on a beacon of light: her career choice.

She'd been told throughout her years at Hogwarts that a career in healing would suit her. However she'd never put a ton of thought into it until her mother had echoed this belief. Eliza felt that following this career path might make her feel closer to her mother, even though she had passed. And even more so, being a healer would be a tremendous asset in the war. She couldn't save her mother…but maybe she could save others.

Lost in thought, Eliza reached the door to the prefects' lounge. She waved her wand over the doorknob and the door popped open. Eliza moved to push the door in but a set of voices gave her pause.

"Are you sure you won't switch? Eliza always keeps you all to herself."

"We see each other in the Common Room."

Eliza's heart stopped; it was Alecto and Regulus.

"I was thinking we could see each other…you know, with fewer people around…"

Eliza peeked through the open doorway to see the Slytherins next to a table. The round schedule, written on a large calendar, lay open on the table. Eliza watched Alecto slide off of the table, as she'd been perched on the edge, and sidle up to Regulus, who was standing right next to her. She couldn't see his face, only his profile.

He replied in his usual even voice. "Well there's fewer people around now."

"I know," Alecto purred. "And some mistletoe."

Alecto moved in towards Regulus and Eliza jerked away from the door. Her heart was racing and there felt like there was something breaking in her chest. She stood in the corridor, staring at the door, her mind blank.

What should she do? Should she leave? Should she clear her throat, count to thirty and go in? Should she storm in, grab that hussy by her robes and pull her off Regulus?

Would Regulus be mad?

A crushing feeling in her chest almost knocked her on her feet. It was sudden and intense and completely unexpected. She wasn't sure what to make of it. Wasn't sure what to think. In the end, Eliza turned on her heel and walked away.

—

She didn't mention anything to Regulus as the week progressed, but Regulus was very astute in noticing a shift in Eliza's mood. It worried him, as he thought Eliza had hit an upswing as they neared the holidays. But then he noticed she would talk freely with her other friends, but become quiet when she was with him in class and only communicated with nods, a shaking head or a non-commital shrug.

Finally, one Potions class, as the pair pulled back from their potion to let it simmer for twenty minutes, Regulus fully turned to Eliza.

"What did I do?"

Surprised, Eliza blinked. "Pardon?"

"You're upset with me about something."

Eliza's eyes grew wide. "Wha-what? No I'm not; how ridiculous."

"Eliza, just tell me," Regulus searched her face. He couldn't remember doing something to upset her. But then, he often didn't realize he'd done things to upset her when he had.

Eliza watched him carefully for a moment before turning her attention to her Potion's book. She made a point of looking over the ingredients list. "I'm not upset about anything."

Regulus still wasn't convinced, but it didn't look like Eliza wanted to give him an answer. Giving up, he turned back to his own book to see what they should be preparing as their potion simmered. Eliza pulled out the dandelion roots and Regulus grabbed them, setting himself to the task of chopping them.

"So when did you start dating Alecto?"

Regulus nearly lost a finger.

"_What_?"

Eliza turned her head to look at him, her face completely blank. She raised an eyebrow. "Alecto? You know, Alecto Carrow?"

"Where did you hear that we were dating?" Regulus asked incredulously.

Eliza's mask slipped a bit and Regulus' sharp eyes caught something flicker across her face, but it was gone in a split second.

Eliza tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Oh I heard something about some mistletoe? You know how things get around."

She was lying; she'd heard no such thing.

Regulus was studying her with scrutiny, but Eliza didn't flinch. Finally, he spoke. "Has she been bad-mouthing me?"

Eliza blinked. "What?"

"Has she been complaining that I wouldn't kiss her? That seems out of character for her. She was terse with me afterward but I'd think her pride would be too much at stake to let it get out."

Eliza was staring at him, her lips shaped into a small 'o'. Regulus continued to watch her closely. Finally, a little smirked slipped onto her lips and she looked back at her potion book.

"Come to think of it, maybe it wasn't her. I think it just might have been someone plotting to get you under some mistletoe."

Regulus raised an eyebrow. "I hope you're not being serious."

Eliza just flashed him a look saying she wouldn't tell. Disturbed, Regulus returned to his chopping but Eliza looked away, smiling as a little voice in her head told Alecto she could stuff it.

—

"I love you!" Em said, flinging her arms around Eliza's neck.

Eliza patted her back. "I love you too."

Em pulled away and turned a serious gaze to Regulus. "You'll watch over her while I'm away, won't you?"

Eliza rolled her eyes but Regulus assured the red-head that he would. Parker and Midge also gave her farewell hugs and Arthur and Jack waved as they headed to the station. Eliza watched them go with a sad smile. That familiar feeling of grief began to creep up in her chest and Eliza tried to force it down.

As if sensing this, Regulus took Eliza's hand and began to steer her towards the Great Hall. It was close enough to lunch time and Regulus was hoping to keep her as occupied as possible. It was December twenty-third and Regulus figured the next seventy-two hours or so would be the hardest on Eliza.

They were able to will away most of the day by completing an essay for McGonagall and practicing spells they were told would be on their examinations. They even spent time producing their patronuses, which Regulus thought would be helpful to Eliza as well as useful. They were still working on making their respective patronus give messages.

By the end of the day, battle one had been won. But Eliza and Regulus had to part for lights out and this was battle two. Teary eyed, Eliza insisted she was fine but Regulus still returned to his dorm worried. He spent the night with his charm glowing in his hand.

The morning of Christmas Eve, Regulus waited for Eliza outside her Common Room and they headed down to breakfast together. Eliza looked pale and her curly hair had been carelessly pulled back into a hair tie.

"So, about that party tonight…?"

"Don't worry, Regulus," Eliza offered him a small smile. "I won't make you go interact with people."

"I don't know why you always act like I can't be around people. I was raised to be very respectable and well-mannered," Regulus said annoyed.

"I'm not worried that you _can't_ be around people. I just know you don't _want_ to be around people."

"Ah." And Regulus turned back to his eggs. Eliza smiled and returned to hers.

After breakfast, the pair took a long walk around the Hogwarts grounds before returning to the castle for lunch. After lunch they went to the library and spent time delving through the seemingly limitless volumes, find anything and everything that suited their fancy. But around supper time, Eliza's mood was starting to darken, and Regulus knew it was because she was preparing to face Christmas Eve alone in her dark dorm room. But Regulus had other plans. After supper, he led her up the grand staircase.

"Where are we going?" Eliza asked, hopping over the step that would trap one's leg.

"To the prefects' lounge."

"Why?"

"Why do you ask so many questions?"

Eliza shot him a dirty look, which he only smirked at. They reached the lounge, unlocked the door and when they walked inside, Eliza gasped.

The lounge ceiling was enchanted, looking much like the Great Hall ceiling did. But while the Great Hall reflected the weather outside, this enchantment made the ceiling look like they were looking up at the nighttime stars, endless and bright. In front of the fireplace were two chaises, complete with soft blankets and throw pillows. The end tables were stacked with books that included some of Eliza's favorite books.

Regulus watched Eliza take in the room with just a flicker of nervousness. He glanced up to the ceiling. "I _think_ all the constellations are there."

Eliza turned her head to look at him and Regulus was horrified to see her face shining with tears. But after a moment he realized she was smiling and she flung her arms around his middle and buried her face in his chest.

Regulus patted her back with atypical embarrassment. "It's just some constellations and some books…"

But Eliza pulled away and looked up at him, her eyes shining and warm. They situated themselves on the chaises and picked through the books. Regulus picked up one he'd been working on and leaned back with the book propped open, listening to Eliza chatter on beside him. For Eliza had found a book she hadn't read that was filled with all kinds of trivia-like facts about the wizarding world. She chirped happily beside him, relating facts that she thought were especially amusing or she'd quiz Regulus on to see if he knew. Eliza seemed so much like her old self that Regulus wasn't even taking in the words he was reading, but hanging on to every syllable that Eliza uttered and smiling ever so slightly when she would laugh.

"Regulus, did you know that the learning process for becoming an animagi involves holding a mandrake leaf in your mouth for a month?" Eliza said, her eyes skimming the page. "Actually…I think I knew that! Mum told me that's why-"

As Eliza trailed off, Regulus shot up, turning to look at Eliza. She had a far off look in her eye, the last word she spoke still shaped on her lips. Slowly, her face seemed to crumble in horror and hot tears welled in her eyes.

"Eliza…"

Regulus got to his feet but Eliza had already jumped to hers and was rushing out of the room, Regulus calling after her.

Eliza dashed through the corridors, her vision blinded by tears. She didn't know where she was going. Somewhere to match the aching hole inside her heart. Later, she wouldn't be able to remember making a conscious decision to go outside, but this is where she found herself. She threw herself against the stone wall of the castle, breathing in sharp, ragged breaths of cold air. She had only a cloak on to shield against the cold, yet she did not feel it. Nor did she notice the snowflakes that fell from the dark sky.

Instead, she wept, concentrating on the pain inside her chest. She'd been unprepared for it, the sudden explosion of grief. It swept through her again and again, likes waves. Like a wound that had barely begun to heal and ripped open once more.

Someone appeared before her. She knew who it was. She knew his presence as well as she knew her own. But she did not look up at him. How could she? She was ashamed of herself. She'd let herself completely forget about her mother in the past few hours. So close to Christmas and she'd gotten lost in her own selfishness.

Regulus gently took Eliza's hands, leaving only enough space between their bodies for their hands to rest between them at waist level.

"Eliza…"

"I'm a terrible daughter," Eliza wept. "How could I forget about her? How could I be so selfish?"

"You're _not_ selfish," Regulus said adamantly. "You're _supposed_ to let go, Eliza. You're _allowed_ to let yourself be happy. You're _allowed_ to live without this constant cloud of misery hanging over you. That's why I stayed."

Eliza finally looked up. Regulus was looking down at her. His hair was getting long, his bangs almost falling into his eyes. The snow, so white, was falling onto his black hair and his long eyelashes. Eliza's eyes still shimmered with tears, but her eyes were searching his in question.

Regulus' adverted his eyes, that embarrassed blush he couldn't hide rising in his cheeks. "Sirius is staying with the Potters…I stayed because…" Regulus forced his eyes back to Eliza's and the blush faded as a sort of determination took over his features. "Because I couldn't let you be alone on Christmas….it's your second favorite holiday."

Silence followed; between the pair, stretching out across the vast slopes of the Hogwarts grounds, all covered in a white blanket of untouched snow. Snowflakes continued to fall from the sky, landing on their conjoined hands, but Eliza didn't feel cold.

Suddenly, she laughed, a weak chuckle that caused the welling tears to slide down her cheeks. But she was smiling, and her cheeks flushed red. Regulus smiled then, a small, lopsided smile that Eliza always swore he wore just for her.

There was no thinking, no arguing between heart and mind. There was only this moment. This feeling.

Eliza lifted her body up on her toes and captured Regulus' lips with hers.

And there they spent many blissful minutes in the shadow of the castle, surrounded in pure white snow. Church bells tolled off in the distance from Hogsmead. It was Christmas.

—

Eliza and Regulus were allowed to enjoy their week together in relative peace. It was sorely needed, as it was a strange time. Many things about their relationship hadn't changed at all. And yet, somehow it all seemed different. They did all the things they normally did, talked about all the things they normally did, had benign arguments like they always did. But now when they did the things they normally did, there were caresses. When they talked about the things they normally did, there were delicate whispers. And when they had their normal benign arguments, they often ended in a passionate make out session.

The pair was finally getting used to their new-found freedom to touch and hold and kiss when the student masses returned and the fact that Regulus Black and Eliza Adwell were dating coursed through the school like wildfire.

No one was really surprised.

The rumor mill was so well established that upon arrival of students from holiday, Eliza was in the middle of a novel when the dorm room door flew inwards and a mass of red curls came screaming into the room.

"ELIZA EMILY ADWELL!"

Eliza nearly fell off her bed. She did drop her book but she had no time to retrieve it as Emlyn and Midge stood at the end of her bed, their faces framed into angry pouts, their hands on their hips.

"Ummm…so had a good holiday?" Eliza tried meekly.

"Not as good as _yours_ apparently! Not even one letter! We had to find out by _gossip_? Not one bloody letter to let your best friends know you're _finally_ dating the boy you've been in love with since you were eleven and you couldn't send _one tiny bloody letter!_?"

Eliza had been very set on putting as much distance between her and the girls as possible. Unfortunately this only left her curled up against her headboard.

"I-I'm…sorry…?"

Midge rolled her eyes. "She was probably too busy making out."

"Exactly! And I wanted to _finally_ know how well he kisses with those perfectly sculpted lips!" Em said leering at Eliza.

"Uuuummmm…"

"Well, out with it!" Em and Midge flung themselves onto Eliza's bed and leaned in towards her, like small children listening to a story.

"Was he as good at it as everything else he does or was he clumsy in a super cute way?" Midge asked. Then she sighed. "Oh wouldn't it be romantic if you were his first kiss?

"I'm not his first kiss," Eliza said immediately.

"Besides, it's only really romantic if it was the first kiss for both of them and she was seeing Matt," Em told Midge.

Eliza hadn't told a soul that Parker and she had shared a kiss third year.

Midge sighed. "Eliza has Regulus. You have Pattie. Where's _my_ soulmate?"

"In the boys dorm," Em muttered to Eliza, launching her into a fit of giggles.

**Author's Note:**

**Thanks for reading!**

**I just wanted to put out a friendly reminder. While I appreciate every review, I just wanted to clear up some points. While I do extensive research to make this story as cannon as possible, the fact remains that this story is not cannon. Should it derive solely from the facts, there would be no ElizaXRegulus. In this story, I have to make Regulus a little more conflicted about the war or let's face it, we probably wouldn't like him. I try to write his character toeing the line as realistically as possible. And in this story, Eliza is around to give Regulus more of a world view outside of his parents and his classmates. It is my belief that, had Regulus had this, he may have been a little less gunho about becoming a Death Eater. This being said, I hope I'm writing an accurate description of what this reality might look like for our brooding hero.**

**Thank you for all of the support and I hope you enjoy your time here!**


	13. Love is an Open Door

**13\. Love in an Open Door**

**Please be advised that this chapter contains mature content.**

Parchment folded into the shape of a bird fluttered past Em's face and landed on Eliza's shoulder. She gleefully took it and unfolded it and, upon reading the writing inside, giggled.

"This is revolting," Jack snapped, having watched this display for the last half hour.

Em sighed. "I have to agreed, E. Just go over and study with _him_."

Eliza blinked. "But I'm studying with you guys."

"You're not getting _any_ studying done with the amount of hormones flooding off of you," Em rolled her eyes.

Eliza attempted to argue but sixty seconds later found Eliza plopping down into the seat next to Regulus.

"I thought you were studying with your friends," Regulus said innocently, trying to hide a smug look.

"They said I was too _distracted_," Eliza rolled her eyes, digging her essay out of her backpack.

"Well no distractions here," Regulus said, dipping his quill in his ink and setting back to his work.

Eliza followed his example and she indeed finished her assignment. In fact, they moved right on to the next assignment. When Eliza realized this would require some books from the back shelves, Regulus said he'd accompany her. And the poor first year that ventured back there after them saw much more than they needed to.

—

Despite the overwhelming experience that was witnessing Eliza and Regulus fawning over each other, the Hufflepuffs couldn't have been happier with the arrangement. Eliza was smiling and laughing again. Every morning Regulus stopped by the Hufflepuff table and gave Eliza a kiss before heading to class. It was worth the eye rolls to see her light up every day.

As winter began to melt away into spring, Regulus and Eliza continued to be as inseparable as always. They spent time they weren't studying together taking walks, having lunch dates and sneaking off to secluded corridors.

Eliza's favorite activity was their nighttime patrols. She enjoyed the peacefulness of the castle and roaming the castle with Regulus at night reminded her of their younger years when they would do the same thing. Of course, this also meant she liked to take late night strolls even when off duty; but this they had to do carefully. The first time they'd been caught by Filch, they'd been able to convince him that they were on prefect duty that night and he must have read the schedule wrong. After that, they had to be more stealthy, with the exception of the evening of March 28th.

"I _told_ you we couldn't turn that way!" Regulus hissed as he and Eliza rushed down the corridor. They were lucky Filch couldn't run nearly as fast as them but he'd managed to capture the stealthiest of rule breakers often enough none the less.

"Ssssh!" Eliza giggled, pulling Regulus into an adjacent corridor. She pushed their backs against the stone wall as the footsteps of Filch echoed around them. Suddenly, the stone wall didn't seems so cold and hard and Eliza glanced over her shoulder to find that they were now leaning against a wooden door. "Regulus, look!"

Regulus was about to tell Eliza to follow her own advice and be quiet, when he too caught sight of the door. Hearing the footsteps grow nearer, he turned the golden doorknob and he and Eliza tumbled into the room. Eliza closed the door before Filch could see them.

"Where are we?" Regulus asked, looking around the room.

It looked a bit like a bedroom. There was a king-sized bed against one wall. On the opposite side was a full-length mirror. On either side of the mirror were bookcases taller than him. Shelves lined the rest of the walls, filled with an assortment of odds and ends.

"Regulus, I think this is the Room of Requirement," Eliza said in awe, taking everything in.

"I didn't think it actually existed," Regulus said, walking around the room and examining the assorted items on the shelves.

Eliza went straight to the bookshelves and was elated to find them filled with books on potion making, defensive spells and romance novels. Eliza was staring at them with desire when Regulus approached her from behind. She saw him in the mirror and watched as he wrapped his arms around her middle, burying his head in her neck. In the mirror she saw his sleeve push up away from his wrist, revealing the chain-like bracelet that carried the Slytherin charm he had made. Smiling, she touched it gently.

Regulus looked up to see what she was doing. As he did so, Eliza turned around so that she was now facing him, a loving smile lighting up her face. She touched the pendant hanging from her neck and watched Regulus' flash green.

"Do you remember Slughorn's party? When you asked me to dance?"

"Yes," Regulus said, cocking his head slightly in question.

"That's when I knew. Or at least, my heart knew but my brain didn't want to admit it."

"Admit what?"

Eliza reached up and placed a hand on his cheek. "That I love you."

Regulus searched her face for a long moment before he cupped her cheek and pulled her to him, capturing her lips with his.

It was unlike any kiss they'd shared. Different from their first kiss. Completely different from the ones they shared hidden away in the library shelves. Almost like Regulus was trying to pour all of his emotions into this single action. Perhaps because he wasn't very good at expressing them with speech. And yet, he pulled away just enough so that he was murmuring against her lips.

"I've always loved you."

Eliza responded by crashing her lips back into his, flinging her arms around his neck. Their bodies wove so tightly together that if they held any tighter, they'd meld together.

Her hands moved from around his neck, to his hair. And his moved from her cheek to her hips. His lips moved slowly from hers, to her jawline, to her neck. Eliza felt like she was on fire and that she'd burn up if she didn't give in to her desires, and soon. And so Eliza nudged Regulus ever so gently towards the bed, which soon ended in an awkward back shuffle until they fell onto the mattress.

And it should have been awkward, but the pair only laughed, their foreheads pressed together. Her eyes bored into his and his eyes searched hers. And he must have found what he was looking for because he pulled her into a kiss again and brought them further back on the bed as he slid his hands beneath her shirt, feeling the expanse of warm skin beneath his finger tips.

Eliza pulled back and though her brain felt like she should be nervous, she wasn't nervous at all. She pulled her shirt over her head and threw it on the floor. And her reward was that, for the very first time since she'd met Regulus Black, he was completely stunned. But it didn't last long, as his eyes were very dark and filled with desire and he pulled her back to him.

Afterwards, they lay in their king-sized bed, limbs entwined. She rested her head upon his chest and his hand subconsciously traced up and down her bare back. And as they lay in post-bliss, Eliza couldn't remember ever being happier.

—

As May approached, so did the sense of impending doom. It settled over the fifth years, making even the sweetest of them lash out for no reason. A Gryffindor fifth year threatened to curse a poor first year who had sneezed as she passed her studying in the library.

As the end of term grew nearer and nearer, even Eliza and Regulus had no time for romantic strolls or a snogging session. They did study together, when Eliza wasn't studying with her other friends. Most days, Eliza left class and met with Regulus to study, and when it was curfew she went back to her Common Room to study with her Housemates. Day after day after day.

Eliza's second greatest fear was that she was going to crack. That she was going to be _that_ student. The one that has a nervous breakdown in the middle of class and needs to be hovered to the infirmary for a Calming Draught.

But she felt like it was coming. That she was a glass jar that she kept cramming anxiety into and one of these days she would explode. It's likely she would have by now, if not for the fact that she was very adept at Calming Draughts. She took them often, trying to beat back the anxiety that would start her foot tapping, then her leg shaking, then her fingers drumming, and her teeth biting and then suddenly she'd succumb to the panic.

She wasn't sure how she'd managed so far, aside from the Calming Draughts. But she kept herself going, because her greatest fear was failure. And she couldn't have that. She just…couldn't.

Regulus saw his girlfriend struggling. Saw her nervous tics, ever present. Sometimes, he even saw them while she slept. How could you help someone in their dreams? Of this, he was unsure. However, an idea did come to him the night before their first exam.

It was a very subdued Sunday for Regulus and Eliza. Tomorrow would be their first OWL examination. Some students were using the day to cram in more studying. Some were choosing to let loose and have a day of relaxation. While Regulus would have been content to study quietly for most of the day, Eliza did not look as though she would survive it.

They camped out in the prefects' lounge. It was quiet here and not many people needed to visit it. Regulus conjured up a squashy bean chair big enough for both of them to be comfortable on. And while Regulus had picked up a book to peruse, Eliza just laid there, staring up at the ceiling.

She looked so tired. So worn out. Regulus had never known Eliza to struggle with academics, aside from the occasional essay. But this had been a bad year for her. In fact, he'd been a little surprised she hadn't failed out already, with the grief she'd been working through the first half of the year. And he was sure her summer plans were also weighing on her, despite that they'd been made. It was just a whole other reminder of what she'd lost.

After two hours of laying together and Eliza acting barely more alive than a corpse, Regulus snapped his book shut and got to his feet, causing Eliza to blink and sit up, confused.

"Come on, let's go for a walk."

He held out his hand, which Eliza took immediately out of habit. Wordlessly, they left the room, ventured down the many staircases and made their way outside.

The sky was a light purple, graced by both the coming evening, and the lingering sun. The couple still didn't speak, only traveled in silence; down the lawns, past the green houses, past the Quidditch field, past Hagrid's hut.

"Regulus, you're not taking us to the Forbidden Forest, are you?" Eliza asked, not without reason. Regulus had stopped them just outside the forest perimeter moments after she'd posed the question. Close enough you could feel the chill from the deeper forest pulsate out.

"Well I've heard the centaurs are just charming but no," Regulus smiled softly and moved towards a tree on the very outskirts. Fingers entwined with Eliza's, he placed their hands against the bark of the tree. The tree hummed so loudly it appeared to be quivering, and then the bark broke apart. From behind it flew out swarms of fireflies, lighting up the darkness around them.

Eliza laughed as a couple began to hover around her face, bobbing around her as though curious.

"Maybe they're attracted to my shampoo," she giggled to herself, coaxing them onto her finger.

And for just one night, Eliza wasn't worried about the coming exams that she must excel in, or that summer was looming and she had no true home to return to. For just that night, Regulus watched her face light up, and not just from the fireflies they chased for hours.

—

Monday was Charms, their theory in the morning and their practical in the afternoon. Transfiguration was the same way on Tuesday. As Eliza sat for her Transfiguration theory, all those extra hours spent revising essays for McGonagall paid off. The questions came to her with far less difficulty, and she found she could expand on the subjects when normally she wouldn't have. By the time they'd put down their quills that day, Eliza had sworn in her head to present McGonagall with tins upon tins of biscuits for preparing her so well.

Wednesday brought them Herbology, which was among one of their easiest subjects. Eliza found herself having to extract some Devils Snare from a patch of magical flowers without damage to the flowers, herself, or the Devils Snare. She thought she might have knocked a pretty pink petal from one of the flowers but otherwise all went well. Thursday was a breeze for DADA. Her friends were all sure they'd made high marks as well, as they'd spent so much time training. On Friday, Eliza sat for Ancient Runes.

By the end of the first week, the fifth years were still feeling the strain, but with the slight touches of relief.

"Half way done!" Arthur announced after their practical portion on Thursday before literally face-planting onto the couch in the Common Room. He didn't move the rest of the evening.

On Friday night Eliza and Regulus went for a moonlight stroll, celebrating what they had thus far accomplished by producing their patronuses. The reveled in the magic as Regulus' borzoi chased her dolphin around the Hogwarts grounds.

Eliza wasn't dreading the second week of exams nearly as bad as she was able to cut back on the Calming Draughts she was taking. Monday was Potions, her best subject. Tuesday was Care of Magical Creatures; an extremely easy exam. The written portion consisted of identifying whether reports of dragons sightings were real based on vague descriptions of the accounts, identifying certain menus for certain beasts and compiling the uses of unicorn hair. Their practical felt more fun than an actual exam should. Astronomy was also easy, as it was a class mostly based on memorization.

On Thursday, Midge, Arthur and Jack went to take their Divination exam. Em, Parker, Eliza and Regulus took to the prefect's lounge to study for a History of Magic. However it may have been better to wait for Midge because once she arrived, they made far more progress with her than they did earlier that day. Midge enjoyed a History of Magic and found ways to keep them entertained while half-teaching them the material. They took that exam on Thursday and, finally, the end of fifth year had come.

While the fifth years relaxed and partied, Eliza took herself up to the Astronomy Tower. She pulled herself up onto a stone ledge, dangling her feet over the side. It was a beautiful summer night. Up here the winds were free of any humidity and it blew gently around her, bringing with it the smells of Hogwarts.

She had completed this year, somehow. She thought it would claim her, but she'd manage to avoid its clutches. Not without the help of her friends and Regulus, of course. Without them, she would have been easily defeated. Still now, her heart ached. She'd managed a feat and she had no mother to tell. And as far as she was concerned, she had no father.

She'd be staying with Emlyn this summer. Emlyn never asked if she wanted to. Never offered. Instead Eliza just started hearing sentences start with "Well since we'll be staying together", or "While you're by me this summer I want to-", or "My mum wants to know what you like to eat".

It was a comfort to know Eliza had somewhere to go, and she was forever grateful to Em. Still though, she could not ignore the pain in her heart that she wouldn't be going home. Not ever.

When Eliza got tired of her own thoughts, she decided she'd best join her friends before they became worried about her. She left the solitude of the Astronomy Tower and made the long walk back to her Common Room. It was along this way that Eliza ran in to something she'd later wish she hadn't.

Moments before Eliza decided to leave the Astronomy Tower, a pair of brothers ran into each other.

"Regulus," Sirius greeted stonily. "What brings you to this side of the castle?"

"That doesn't concern you," Regulus responded. "But if you'll please move, your massive head is taking up the corridor."

Sirius smirked, never one to back down from a challenge. "Why don't you make me move?"

Regulus rolled his eyes. "Must you be so childish?"

Sirius' eyebrows shot up. "_I'm_ the childish one? Believing some power hungry maniac is going to create some kind of paradise? What are you, five?"

"You can act as high and mighty as you want, Sirius; but you're not any better than me. I know what you've done," Regulus said smugly, his arms crossed over his chest.

Sirius narrowed his eyes, confused but on alert.

"I've learned about that little stunt you played on Severus Snape a few years back. You know. Your _furry little problem._"

Sirius immediately transformed. His casual cool demeanor was replaced with ferocity, his eyes flashing dangerously. He was on Regulus in an instant. Not with wand draw, it was purely physical. Sirius leapt at his brother, grabbing him by the throat as they fell to the ground. Sirius pinned them there, squeezing on his brother's neck.

"How do you know?" He hissed. "HOW DO YOU KNOW!?"

Regulus, with every cocky nerve in his body, only smirked even as his face began to flush red.

"Who else knows!?" He screamed in Regulus' face. "If you told anyone I swear I don't care how much our mother cries, I will slam your head against this stone until your inferior brains cake the floors."

At this point, Regulus was clawing at his brother's hand as he could not fill his lungs with air. But Sirius was strong and he showed his brother no mercy. There was nothing in his gaze but for resolve; to know what his brother had done. To what end Remus would be in danger.

"What are you doing!?" A screeched echoed down the corridor, followed by a set of thundering footsteps. "Get off of him! Get off of him now or I'll blast you!"

Sirius Black had always respected Eliza Adwell. A brilliant, talented witch with beauty to back it all up. He found her perhaps a little naïve that she'd been friends, then lover to her brother. She truly thought she knew him. But she didn't; Sirius did, and it would end in heartbreak for her. And she didn't deserve it. He heard of the lengths she worked to in order to be a Healer, and to fight against the Dark Lord. But right now, his respect for Eliza Adwell was not enough in the face of Remus' danger.

"Tell your boyfriend right now that if he does not keep his mouth shut, I will blast it off his face!"

"Get off!" She yelled again, this time with her wand aloft, her eyes the color of molten copper smoldering.

Sirius looked back to his brother, who was only weakly scratching his hand now, as his face was purple. Sirius' arm was shaking. For he could not risk Remus….

But after another warning from Eliza, he relented, getting to his feet. Regulus immediately rolled to his left and vomited, trying to suck in as much air as he could. Ignoring Sirius, Eliza rushed to him, dropping to her knees and performing what must be impressive wand work, as Sirius was unfamiliar with the spell. Healing magic, he decided, when he saw Regulus' color quickly returning.

Sirius looked down at the pair, his fists clenching open and shut. Open and shut. He didn't want to. But he had to protect Remus at all costs. As it had been his own stupidity that put him in danger in the first place. As he spoke, he forced himself to look at them; his little brother and his beautiful, innocent girlfriend. His jaw was clenched as he forced the words through, his knuckles white against his skin as he squeezed his fists.

"I don't want to do this….But if you breathe a word of what you know….I will have to hurt her." He turned to face Eliza, whose eyes were narrowed but face straight. "I'm sorry. But I will have to hurt you. It would be the only way."

And just like that, Sirius Black turned on his heel and left.

Eliza paid him no mind, she returned to Regulus, making sure he was not injured further. She wanted to stay with him that night, but he declined. Which he'd never done before. Eliza felt slightly hurt that Regulus had turned her away, but Eliza wondered if maybe he needed to nurse his pride.

It certainly left Eliza's evening free to think about what had happened. She'd been shocked to find the brothers in such a way. It wasn't the first fight she'd broken up, but it had never been a fight like _that_. Not that she could even call it a fight. It was practically Sirius Black choking his brother to death with his bare hands. It was so alarmingly _primal_.

Now Sirius Black was a git. A git that didn't believe in pure-blooded nonsense, but a git none the less. But Eliza never imagined he could act like this.

Regulus knew something. He knew something that Sirius didn't want him to know. What could it be? To risk his brother's life, surely it was of something of importance. But what kind of importance? Why was it worth killing his brother to keep it?

That question burned in Eliza's gut. Having secrets like that, it made her feel uneasy. That was a life or death secret, and why would Regulus have one of those? Dread swirled in Eliza's heart. She couldn't ask about it. But it filled her with dread.

In the Slytherin dormitories that night, Regulus lay awake thinking as well. Cursing himself for being so weak. That he'd been bested by such _basic_ means. Angry that he had not thought to counter this. And then Eliza. He threatened Eliza. She was the woman he loved…and although he tried to push away the thought over the years, she was a weakness. His weakness.

That night Regulus dreamed. He dreamed of power that he'd been promised. He dreamed of what he could do with that power. No weaknesses anymore.

—

"Don't worry," Regulus cupped Eliza's face in his hands. "You'll receive your ten OWLs."

"You have you to say that," Eliza said dully.

"He does but I don't," said a passing Parker. "You'll receive your ten OWLs. Now come on."

Everyone was boarding The Hogwarts Express and the station was nearly empty, save the young couple. Eliza took Regulus' face into her hands, tenderly, looking at him with fear, as though he might vanish before her.

"Will…will you visit me this summer?"

Regulus blinked. He'd never imagined this had been one of Eliza's fears.

"I know that your mother won't approve of me. You know, since I'm not your second cousin or something but..." the sentence got caught in her throat as it swelled shut. She could feel the tears pricking at the sides of her eyes.

'Liza…" Regulus tilted her chin so he could look directly into her eyes. "We'll see each other, I promise. You don't want to come to my house anyway. Too many elf heads on the wall."

"What?"

"It's not important. Trust me, I will come for you, okay?"

A tear trickled down Eliza's cheek and Regulus brushed it away. Eliza moved in to hug him tightly.

"I love you," she murmured into his ear.

"I love you too," he whispered into hers.

They shared a parting kiss and boarded the train. Eliza sat with her friends, who were all chatting excitedly about their summer plans. Eliza did her best to focus on them rather than her own swirling thoughts. She was so set on being focused she almost missed one last glimpse of Hogwarts before it disappeared behind large, green rolling hills. But then, Eliza realized, it hadn't been a great year, Regulus aside, and she really didn't need one last glimpse of it.

**Author's Note:**

**I'm so glad you're here. Thanks for reading.**

**So this is probably my least favorite chapter. I struggled immensely with writing it; it probably took me a few months to complete and it didn't even turn out that good. Probably because I'm so good at terrorizing my main characters and not used to letting them be happy...**

**To my two most loyal readers (fanfiction won't let me insert your names), I just want you to know that you have been a light in my life right now. Without getting too personal, it's been a rough go and your reviews every chapter honestly keep me going. And that goes for every single other person who is so lovely enough to review. I am so so thankful for you all. Next chapter will be better I promise!**


	14. The Calm Before the Storm

**14\. The Calm Before the Storm**

Eliza did not receive her ten Os, she received eight and two Es in History of Magic and Arithmacy. The results disappointed her slightly, though she knew better than to curse her results. With such a chaotic fifth year, she should be lucky she hadn't flunked all of her subjects. And besides, she had the marks she needed to be a Healer.

Emlyn had done well also, which had been required for her desire to become an auror. Eliza was glad she would continue to see Em in her classes, as they would require the same ones. Parker had also received high marks. It was more of a relief than usual to have her friends by her side because, come the end of June, Eliza still hadn't seen Regulus.

"I'm sure he's just busy," Em would say.

Which was exactly what Regulus put into his letters. Although, Eliza couldn't help but notice with irritation, he never said what he was busy with.

In the absence of school work and Regulus, Eliza had started to succumb to panic attacks. They would come out of nowhere and without warning. Sometimes she would be sitting there and her body would start to react, despite there being nothing to react to. She would try to fight them, but often times, they proved too powerful.

By the end of June, Eliza had started to isolate herself. She couldn't bare the thought of Emlyn witnessing her attacks; seeing how weak she was. And so she would spend her time locked in the spare bedroom that was her room for the summer. Or she would go on long walks to no where in particular to be away from Em and her family.

But Em had noticed. She would try to talk to Eliza about it, but she would shut down the conversation with a quick "I'm sorry Em, I'm just tired", and the bedroom door would close. Em would invite their friends over, but even if they could drag Eliza out of her room, she was distant, never participating in their activities; simply just being there. And only in the physical sense. Mentally, she was always somewhere else. Her worried friends could only think of one thing to do.

July 1st was a very sunny and warm day. Eliza watched it through her bedroom window. Emlyn lived in a pleasant suburb and Eliza watched young children running free during their summer break. She wondered if she'd looked that happy at their age. She thought of all the time she'd spent playing and the dark voice in her mind reminded her of all that time she could have used spending time with her mother; back when the thought of losing her was unimaginable.

_Knock-knock_.

Eliza glanced to her bedroom door. Her legs immediately started shaking, thinking about how she would need to send Em away; see the look of disappointment on her face; feel the familiar sting of failure. Eliza swallowed hard against her throat, readying herself for an excuse when the door swung open.

"Regulus?"

Eliza's body stopped shaking and she sat frozen by the window sill as Regulus Black entered the room. He closed the door behind him and cast a critical eye on Eliza. He seemed to be growing out his facial hair which Eliza couldn't help but raise a brow at.

Silently, Regulus made his way over to Eliza's side and sat down beside her. Eliza didn't move.

"What are you doing here?" She asked after a long moment of silence.

"Emlyn wrote me…"

And out of nowhere, something in Eliza snapped. She was suddenly filled with hot anger. "Oh! So you respond to _her_!?"

In her own mind, Eliza winced at the scathing tone in her voice. She tried to push back the sudden bitterness but it was raging to be free, like a fire trying to destroy any barrier she tried to put before it.

Regulus frowned. "Eliza…you haven't even wrote me…"

"Why would I bother!? You hardly responded to me all summer!"

"Eliza…I've been _busy_-"

"Too busy for me!?"

Silence settled over the pair as Eliza glared at Regulus and he stared stonily back at her. Finally, he sighed and glanced downward. "I'm sorry I haven't been as attentive as I should have…"

Eliza scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest, returning her gaze to the world outside.

"Eliza…I'm worried about you."

"I'm fine."

"No you're not."

"How would you know!?" Eliza shot back, returning to glaring at Regulus. "You haven't been here! You promised!"

Eliza cursed herself over the way her voice broke over those two words. It seemed to have affected Regulus, however, as he seemed to wince and continued to stare down at his hands in his lap.

"Eliza…I'm…"

Eliza stared hard at Regulus' profile but he did not move; aside from his hands. They'd bunched his pants in his fists and his knuckles were white. The silence engulfed them for countable moments. Eliza wondered if Regulus wanted to tell her something, but couldn't bring himself to.

Finally, Regulus moved his body to be square with Eliza's. Slowly, he reached out to cup her face; hesitant at first, not sure if she would pull away. She didn't. He stared into her eyes as he stroked her left cheek with his thumb. He swallowed.

"I did promise. And I broke that promise. I swear…I'm so sorry. I've…I've been too wrapped up with myself and I left you alone. It's inexcusable and I've no right to ask but…can you forgive me?"

Eliza watched him carefully. His grey eyes shone with sincerity.

Eliza took a deep breath in through her nose and let it out. "I forgive you."

Regulus pulled her into a tight hug. She buried her face in his shoulder, took in his scent, and tried to ignore the doubt gnawing at the back of her mind.

Regulus made more of an effort to see her for the rest of the summer. He would come see her at least once a week and they often went on dates. He would take her Diagon Alley and they would get ice cream or dinner (or both), they'd admire the cauldrons at the Apothecary, visit Flourish and Blotts and find the most interesting or most absurd book (loser buys the ice cream). Eliza enjoyed these dates. For once, she felt like a normal teenager, going on dates with her handsome boyfriend. Of course, it was Em she would giggle with afterward, not her mother, but that wouldn't hit her until the end of the day.

Eliza was able to pull herself out of her depression and purposely kept herself busy. Parker and Em practiced Quidditch at least once per week. They always made her play with them in various positions and joked that by the end of summer, _she_ could try out for Quidditch.

Once or twice they visited Jack's house. His mother was the queen of hosting and they always left filled to the brim with cookies, cakes, lemonade, coffee. They always seemed to have a story, the Howell family. Probably because they always went places. And his mother absolutely 'adored' Midge, which made everyone in the Hufflepuff gang extremely frustrated.

On warm nights they would have a small fire in Arthur's back yard and they would watch the stars. They'd talk about their dreams and where they were headed. Eliza, of course, was going to be a Healer. Em and Parker wanted to be aurors. Parker had switched his ambition from playing professional Quidditch. Midge wanted to be a Curse Breaker. Jack planned to follow in his family's footsteps and was looking at going into Law. Arthur wanted to travel the world for a while before becoming a zoologist.

"And when is the big wedding?" they would tease Em, who would light up like a Christmas tree.

"I still have years of training!" she would say flustered. "I'm not getting married yet! Besides, I don't even know if we're going to do the whole 'marriage thing'."

"How progressive of you," Midge nodded.

"I'm bi and she's a lesbian, how much more progressive could you get?"

Eliza also adored those nights. They also made her feel like a normal teenager. Sometimes she would get so caught up in the moment she felt removed, like she was watching her friends laugh from the outside. And she would watch them fondly. And know that she would do everything in her power to keep them safe. And with her.

Despite these treasured moments, September brought much relief to Eliza. It meant seeing Regulus everyday again. She was excited about her classes. She even missed her cozy bed covered in quilts. She was ready for a fresh start this term. After all, this year had to be better than last year.

For once, it felt like things were going smoothly. Her classes were interesting, but intense. Her friends weren't going through any drama. There'd been no nasty Slytherin undercurrent. Her boyfriend was attentive and loving. Everything was going so well.

Which Eliza found incredibly suspicious.

But she took full advantage of it before it fell to shit. She spent a lot of her time studying, rejuvenated in her goal to become a Healer. Whenever an essay was assigned, Eliza would try to find some way to work it into her profession. "Unusual," McGonagall had said, then she smiled. "But interesting."

More than the rest of her years at Hogwarts, Eliza started to spend a lot of time with Lily Evans. It was not lost on her that this was Lily's last year and Eliza was going to miss her dearly. She'd been a great support to Eliza when her darkest thoughts about Regulus won out. Even after her and Snape had stopped being friends, she still gave Regulus the benefit of the doubt.

This all came to head one October afternoon, however, while Eliza was sitting in Transfiguration. They shared the class with some Gryffindors and a pair of them were sitting behind Eliza, chatting away. She was about to tell them to shut up and pay attention when a tidbit of interesting information hit her ears.

"I still can't believe it!" Whispered one of the girls.

"After all this time? After all those fights! What do you think he did to woo her?"

"Ooooh, it must have been magical," sighed the first girl.

The second girl sighed. "I guess that's the end of my hopes to dating James Potter."

Goosebumps rose on Eliza's skin. She whipped around, surprising the two gossiping Gryffindors.

"Did you say James Potter is dating someone?"

"Oh you haven't heard? Yes, he's going out with Lily Evans! I still can't believe it!"

—

"You're dating James bloody Potter!?"

Eliza had cornered Lily as she came in from Herbology. Well, not cornered so much as stampeded into the mass of bodies, stopping directly in front of Lily's path. Students streamed around them, giving them strange looks.

"…..I can explain."

"Can you!?"

"Yes!" Lily exasperated. "Listen; he's really changed!"

"Oh, so he's not an ignorant bullying toe-rag anymore?" Eliza quirked an eyebrow.

Lily giggled at her own insult before coughing and clearing her throat. "That is correct."

Arms crossed tightly over her chest, Eliza glared at the red-head suspiciously.

Lily rolled her eyes and sighed. "Would you like the story?"

"Yes."

And so Lily Evans took Eliza by the shoulders, steering her into a walk around the grounds, and launched into her tale of James Potter's reformation. Still, Eliza wasn't sure how to feel about their coupling. She never directly hated James. She thought he was talented, smart and a tad handsome, but he was kind of a pillock. And his best friend was Sirius Black; whom she definitely did have some ill feelings towards.

"Gee…I hope Remus' knickers were replaced after all of this," Eliza said once Lily had finished.

"I saw to it," Lily smiled, the memory still glowing in her eyes.

"Well…" Eliza shuffled her feet nervously. "I'm sure you realize the awkward position this puts me in."

"Sirius."

Eliza nodded.

Lily frowned as she thought. "Well, please don't curse me over this…but have you ever considered you're a little biased?"

"Come again?"

"Well certainly you must realize you only ever get Regulus' side of the story. And I'm not saying to disregard it or anything but…there's two sides to every sickle."

Eliza frowned. "I guess…"

"Listen, I wont make you hang out with them or anything. But know my time is constricted if I have to see you guys separately."

"Do I still get you at Slughorn's parties?"

"Oh certainly. I would _never_ be able to drag James to one of those."

Eliza smiled at that.

—

Life continued on as normal after that. She didn't see quite as much of Lily as the trees began to lose their leaves, but it did leave her open to spend more time with Regulus. They'd had a wonderful date in Hogsmead at the beginning of November, but as the days began counting down to December, she felt like he was slipping away from her.

When they spent time together, there wasn't much conversing. Regulus always seemed stressed. He seemed paler than usual and more than once Eliza found him fidgeting in class. She also thought he might not be eating well, as he seemed to have lost a good ten pounds.

On the last night of November, Eliza took them for a stroll around the grounds. It was mostly quiet, but not a comforting quiet. When the reached a stone wall in front of the lake, they perched themselves upon it. They sat together, shoulder to shoulder, enjoying the view.

"Regulus…what are you planning on doing once we graduate?"

Regulus looked at her sharply. "What?"

Eliza blinked. "I just realized you never talked about what you want to do. What are you planning to do?"

Regulus turned away from her, moving his eyes back to the lake. He watched a for moment before glancing down at his hands. "Well…I've always thought the Department of Mysteries might be suitable work for my genius."

"The Department of Mysteries?" Eliza's eyebrows shot up. "Well…that's certainly an interesting choice."

"It's the _unknown_, Eliza," his eyes shown brightly as he looked out at the world before him. "To understand it all…!"

Eliza smiled at the awe in his voice. It reminded her of when they were young. But then she frowned, remembering how she hadn't heard him speak passionately of something in some time.

"Regulus, is everything okay?"

She felt him grow rigid beside her. "What do you mean?"

Eliza huffed. "Regulus, I've known you for six years. You don't look yourself. You've lost weight. You look like something's constantly haunting you. What's the matter?"

"I'm fine, Eliza."

Hurt flashed across her face. "Regulus…_please_."

Regulus sighed and faced her, cupping her cheek. He stroked it gently, as he'd done over the summer. Eliza watched him with worried eyes.

"There's just…." He paused. "There's a lot going on right now. There's our classes for one. I'm always worried about you—"

"Worried about me? Why? I'm fine."

Regulus gave her a small smile. "I know your anxiety still gets to you sometimes. I worry I'm not there for you enough."

Eliza frowned and cupped his cheek. "You don't have to worry about me, really. It's nothing I can't handle. You're always there for me when I need you."

Regulus cupped his hand over hers for a minute before taking it into his and laying their conjoined hands in his lap. He looked back over the lake. Eliza did too, watching the small ripples dotting the black surface.

"My father is ill," Regulus said after a long moment.

Eliza looked back to him. "Ill?"

He nodded. "My mother is worried he's succumbing to something. That it might take him."

"Oh Regulus…" she said softly. She laid her head on his shoulder.

—

The night after Slughorn's party, Regulus and Eliza had chosen to commandeer the Prefects' Lounge. They lay beneath a blanket, wrapped in each other's arms. Feeling content, they both watched the ceiling.

"Regulus…"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think your mother would ever let you marry me?"

"What?" Regulus looked at her sharply.

"I'm not getting ideas!" Eliza rushed to assure him, and she felt the tension leave his body. "I was just thinking, you know, years down the line, when the war is over, if we're still together…"

"You think we'll still be together?" He asked absently, running his fingers through her tangled hair.

Eliza turned warm eyes to him. "I don't think I'll ever get sick of your face."

Regulus smiled.

"Have you not thought about it?" She asked.

He was silent for a moment. "I guess I never thought that far ahead."

Eliza rolled her eyes and smiled. "No? You never considered mini yous running around?"

Regulus chuckled and she felt his chest rumble in response. "I'm not sure you'd want that."

"Maybe they'll take after their mother?" She smiled.

Regulus smiled too and he took her hand, entwining his fingers with hers. But then his smile fell and he looked…sad.

"Regulus?" Her eyebrows furrowed.

Slowly, he kissed her head and tucked his chin atop it. "Let's lay here a while before we have to go back."

And they did, in silence.

—

Standing at the train station, Regulus opened his present. Peering into the box, he gave Eliza a bemused smile. "_Mons Heroes_?"

Eliza smiled at him. "I just thought I'd remind you of how I feel about you."

Regulus stared at the book a moment longer before looking back at his girlfriend. She was surprised to find that haunting look in his eyes. She tried to ignore it and kept her smile.

"Promise me you'll read it?"

Regulus gave a curt nod before tucking the book back in its wrappings. Looking back at her, he placed a hand against her cheek. "I love you, Eliza."

"I love you too."

Regulus watched her another moment before he embraced her, fiercely, as though he was afraid she'd vanish if he didn't. She held him, her mind racing. She tucked her face into his shoulder, breathing in his scent.

Slowly, he pulled back and kissed her, long and deep. When he pulled back again, he watched her with the same passion she'd seen him talk about Quidditch, or a good book, or his dream of working in the Department of Mysteries. "I think…I will always love you, Eliza."

Eliza looked up at him softly. "I will always love you."

They shared one more kiss before the train blew its whistle and they were forced to board.

**Author's Note:**

**So this is a very short chapter; quite possibly my shortest. But it was very important to keep this chapter separate from the next chapter.**

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed. Honestly, I can't gush about you enough. Every review is like Xmas morning. Thank you for your time and your thoughts!**


	15. Learning to Breathe

**15\. Learning to Breathe**

Eliza had spent a quiet Christmas with Em's family. Having lived with them through the summer, it had made sharing their holiday less awkward. In fact, Eliza felt well rested when she returned from their break and remembering Regulus' words to her before they parted had made her feel hopeful that the holidays has improved Regulus' worries. She'd only spoken to him once over the holidays, but he had sent her a beautiful golden necklace with the Healer sign as the pendant.

However, the first week back was a busy one, with their professors piling on the homework. Still, Eliza was determined to spend some time with Regulus outside of seeing him during classes. Her chance came by way of a Prefects' meeting. As it adjourned, and the Prefects exited the Lounge, Eliza grabbed Regulus' hand and kept him with her until the room was empty.

"Ms. Adwell, are you trying to get me alone?" Regulus raised an eyebrow.

Eliza gave him a coy smile. "Maybe."

Reaching up on her toes, she planted a kiss on Regulus' lips. He seemed hesitant at first but then she deepened the kiss, craving his touch after weeks away from him. He pulled her closer, his hands tangled in her hair. Eliza felt the familiar swoop in her belly. Then abruptly, Regulus pulled away. Eliza blinked, confused for a moment as she looked up at Regulus' face. His cheeks were flushed, his chest rising and falling just a bit harder than usual but he wasn't looking at her.

Eliza frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing I-" but he faltered.

"You what?"

Regulus cleared his throat. "I just…not tonight, Eliza."

Eliza felt the sudden sting of his rejection but tried not to show it. While unusual, his request wasn't unreasonable. She nodded and they spent their night together wrapped in each other's arms instead.

However, as the month carried on, Eliza found Regulus still had no desire to be intimate with her. And not only that, she felt like he was growing distant. He was with her physically, but often she felt like he was mentally somewhere else. Sometimes she would catch Regulus staring at her with a sad expression.

That above all else frightened Eliza. She wondered if he was thinking about breaking up with her. Why else would he look at her with such sadness? But then, if it made him sad, he wouldn't break up with her. He told her before Christmas break that he would always love her. _Thought_ he would always love her, her brain reminded her.

Her emotions were on a rollercoaster by the end of the month. She was constantly overthinking things. If she was snuggling with Regulus, all she could focus on was what he might be thinking. Why did he feel so distant? Why didn't he want to be close to her?

She started skipping meals wondering if maybe she'd gotten too fat to be appealing. She started wearing a touch more make-up and spending more time on her hair. But if it was her appearance, then her recent changes made no impact.

By the end of the month, she shared her concerns with Em.

Em frowned when Eliza told her all of her thoughts and misgivings. "Maybe he's just going through a lot right now. You know Regulus doesn't seem to process things the way we do. What about his father? Did you say he was ill?"

Eliza frowned but tried to find the truth in Emlyn's words. As it would turn out, she would find out the truth at the end of that week.

It was a Friday, and January was throwing its fiercest weather at Hogwarts. It had been snowing since the night before and winds outside were whipping it against the castle, leaving a definite chill to the air despite the normal warmth of the castle.

That evening, after classes, Eliza had decided to change out of her robes and swapped it for her nicest sweater dress and a pair of leggings. She wanted to surprise Regulus to a dinner in the Prefects' Lounge, made possible by the eager kitchen House Elves. Running a brush through her long hair, she left her Common Room after her friends had already headed to the Great Hall.

She moved down the deserted corridors, making her way towards the dungeon. As she made her way to the Slytherin Common Room, she began to hear shouting. Her heart skipped a beat and she found herself running, only to be confronted with the sight of Sirius and Regulus squaring off in the corridor, their wands fixed on each other.

"Stop! STOP!" Eliza screamed, rushing in between the two Blacks. She faced Sirius, her arms stretched out wide as if shielding Regulus.

"Eliza, get out of the way!" Regulus yelled angrily. His face was screwed up in hatred, his wand held high.

"Need your girlfriend to save you, little Reggie?" Sirius sneered, his wand still poised to attack as well.

Regulus was seething, his arm shaking gently from the anger. "Eliza! MOVE!"

"No!" Eliza turned her head to look back at Regulus. She changed her voice to plead. "Regulus…you're better than this."

"No he's not!" Sirius spat. "This is what him and his little friends do. They fight and harm and cause destruction wherever they go."

"And you think you're better than him, do you?" Eliza snapped, ignoring his comment and turning back to Sirius Black. "Cursing anyone you want because you can? Bullying anyone you think is below you? Lily might think you've changed but I see right through you! You're just as bad as you make him out to be!"

Sirius' eyes narrowed in anger. His wand still did not lower.

"You don't know your own brother; that's _your_ problem!" Eliza crossed her arms, glaring directly into Sirius' eyes, daring him to contradict her.

"No. _You_ don't know my brother," Sirius' gaze bored into Eliza. "The two of you aren't shagging are you? Or if you are, you haven't been lately, have you?"

Eliza felt as though lightening had struck her. Her mind froze, her body rigid.

"Oh I'm sure you've thought Regulus has been in ones of his moods. Or perhaps you've been ignoring the signs? It's because he doesn't want you to see what's on his left arm."

Eliza's blood ran as cold as ice. Her mind began to race with all the times Regulus had refused intimacy, to the feeling of distance she'd been feeling, the sad looks he would cast her, their parting before Christmas…

She rounded on Regulus, who was frozen in place. She snatched his arm before he could stop her and pushed back the sleeve of his robe. And there it was, vividly black against his white skin. A skull with a snake protruding from its mouth. Proof that Regulus had made a choice. A terrible choice.

The tears came before she could stop them. She gazed up at Regulus but he wouldn't meet her eye. Something in her chest snapped. She turned on her heel and fled.

—

Eliza stood alone, looking out across the lake. The wind had died down but fluffy snow still poured from the skies. The lake was frozen over with ice. A lifetime ago, there had been a bet about whether or not the giant squid could break through the ice. Eliza never did learn who won the bet.

The lake was undisturbed now. It's icy layer was being covered with a dusting of snow that fell from the clouds. It fell down on Eliza as well, mixing with the golden curls that tumbled over her shoulders.

This is how Regulus found her as he disturbed the snow, making his way over to stand beside her.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Eliza said quietly after a long moment of silence. "Every winter it looks like this…and it still takes my breath away. This is the way it looked the night…"

Eliza broke off, but there was no need to continue. They both knew what night she was referring to. It seemed like so long ago they'd shared their first kiss. Eliza felt a lump form in her throat but she forced it down.

"Now it's just mocking me…" she whispered to herself and, feeling the onset of tears, turned on her heel to escape.

"Eliza…" Regulus reached out, grabbing her arm.

Eliza stopped, looking up into her best friend's face. He looked pained. But she couldn't help him. She had tried. She had tried so hard. But it was all for naught. He'd been taken from her.

Regulus knew it. Of course he did. He was so smart, damn him. But at that moment, he looked lost. Eliza felt a pull in her heart that physically ached.

Sadly, Eliza cupped one side of his face with her hand. He'd been growing that beard again.

"I always hated the beard…" Eliza said softly, her eyes roving over Regulus' face, trying to memorize every detail. She continued to speak. "Promise me something."

Regulus didn't respond. He didn't move. But he was listening.

"Promise me…that you'll always remember that night. Then at least I know that, at the very least…" her voice cracked. "…you'll still think of me when you see snow."

Eliza finally gazed into Regulus' eyes and removed her hand. His face didn't change. He didn't move a single muscle. And yet…it still almost looked like something had broken. In hindsight, Eliza thought she must have seen it in his eyes.

She couldn't stop the tears now. She pulled herself away and retreated up the sloping lawn.

Finally, Regulus moved, and he whirled around on the spot, gazing helplessly up the slope. "Eliza!"

Eliza was almost to the doors of the castle. She stopped and turned, gazing down at the person she loved most in this world. The tears were falling quickly now, streaming down her cheeks that were red from the cold. But there was only silence, for words had failed Regulus Black.

With an aching heart, Eliza rushed up the stone steps she had first walked up with Regulus by her side. Regulus watched her retreating form until it disappeared behind the castle doors.

The next day, his beard was gone and he never grew it out again. And Eliza Adwell didn't appear for classes.

—

It was a rarely used corridor, mostly due to the fact that it contained no rooms and only led to a dead end. Eliza knew it well enough. How many times had she and Regulus snuck here between classes to spend a few blissful moments together? Those times it had felt like their own little space, peaceful and quiet.

It was still quiet, but deafeningly so. Now it just felt empty and cold. Her sobs bounced off the walls back at her, surrounding her in her own misery.

"What a depressing place…"

Eliza started at the voice and turned her tear-stained face from her knees to look up at her visitor. It was Lily Evans, standing on the step below her; but as Eliza was sitting, Lily was peering down at her. Lily's face was soft with sympathy and she climbed the next stair so she could sit down beside Eliza.

"No one will see me here," Eliza replied in a whisper.

"Sirius told me what happened…"

"I'm a failure. I thought I could make him see sense…" Eliza choked back a sob.

Lily gazed out in front of her, seeing something Eliza cannot. "You don't have the power to do that. You can't make someone good."

"Regulus _is_ good," Eliza said adamantly, her face set, taking Lily quite by surprise. Then, Eliza's face crumpled into anguish as fresh tears stung her eyes. "He's just…lost."

Lily looked on sadly, taking Eliza's hand in hers. "Then he still might find his way."

"But without me…" another wave of tears.

"Maybe…but if he does find his way, then I'm sure it leads right back to you."

Eliza looked back to Lily. How could she be so optimistic? Or was she just playing along for Eliza's sake? Eliza didn't have the heart to ask. But at least Lily understood. Hadn't she gone through the same ordeal? Hadn't she lost her friend because they were from separate worlds?

But then…Eliza had never liked Severus. He'd always been…different from Regulus. He _believed_ in Voldemort; even Eliza could tell. And hadn't it been plainly obvious from what had transpired by the lake? The entire school knew about it.

Her Regulus had never been like that; or at least, that's what Eliza told herself. In her heart, Eliza thought that Regulus' turn towards the dark lord was more of an environmental problem. He'd been raised around pureblooded fanatics. Had been fed their nonsense from a very young age. It had been seen as something to be encouraged. And then with Sirius renouncing this way of thinking, it fell upon Regulus to uphold the family name. To not disappoint his family. And so he went along with everything, to make them happy.

But did he really _believe_? Eliza kept telling herself no. But maybe he did. Or maybe a small part of him did? In the end though…did it matter? Regulus was lost to her. Whatever his reasons, he had joined the cause. Whatever the reasons, Eliza was left with a shattered heart.

Eliza didn't reply to Lily. Instead, she laid her head on Lily's shoulder and cried. Lily could do nothing but gently stroke Eliza's hand and will her own words to be true.

—

Living without Regulus in her life was like learning to breathe. His absence took the joy out of everything for her. And she hated herself for it. Hated the pain and the tears. He was just a boy, she told herself. But he wasn't, said her weakness. He was her best friend, her rock in times of grief. A steady calm in a world that was being ravaged by fear and uncertainty. But of course, this was the world he was helping to create.

She went through the motions. Going to classes, studying, spending time with her friends. But while she was their physically, mentally she was always somewhere else; drowning in her thoughts of misery. She rarely spoke. She didn't eat much anymore. She didn't feel hungry. She only ate small bites under the constant worried gazes of her friends.

She was supposed to fight it, she knew, like everyone else. People were disappearing. Loved ones were being murdered. Everyone was losing something and her loss was not graver than anyone else's. But she could not fight the dark cloud that was suffocating her. Because she was weak. She was a failure. Her father had always implied as much; and he'd been right.

A month after The End, as she was dubbing it, she lay in her bed in complete darkness. She stared up at the ceiling, not seeing. Her mind was on happier times. On empty corridors, on laughter scorned in the library. On the silky sheets in a certain Slytherin's bed that smelled of him, of must and spearmint.

The lights flickered on, bright and blinding. Eliza turned her head away, closing her eyes. She did not want to talk, she never did. Her friends had given up trying. She expected to hear the soft sounds of Emlyn and Midge milling about, trying not to disrupt their wasting friend. Instead, two depressions in her bed told her that her friends sat at the foot of her bed.

Eliza still didn't move, didn't open her eyes. She waited for them to admit defeat and move to their own beds, but they did not.

"Eliza. Sit up."

It was Emlyn's voice and it was rough and demanding. Finally, Eliza opened her eyes. Emlyn's face was just as hard and determined as her voice.

"I've had enough," she said and Midge nodded. "We've given you time and space but this has gone on long enough. For God's sake, Eliza, he's just a boy!"

"No he's not!" Eliza shot up, a sudden rage filling her.

"Yes he is! A boy! A _stupid_ boy! And I get it, okay!? You love him. I know it, Midge knows it, the school freaking knows it, _Regulus_ knows it! And so he's a stupid boy, okay!? But he is NOT the world and the world as not ended! So get your skinny butt out of this bed and take a goddamn shower!"

The tension was thick. Emlyn glared at Eliza, Eliza glared back. No one blinked. No one moved.

Then, suddenly, Eliza's face crumpled and a tear leaked from her eye. Her voice came out in a whisper. "He is _my_ world."

"Maybe he was," Emlyn said, softly this time. "But he can't be anymore, alright? I can't let you waste away in this bed over a boy who was too stupid to realize what he had. Or worse, a boy who knew, and gave it up anyway."

More tears fell. "Why? Why did he give it up? Is it because I'm not good enough?"

Only the pure desperation in her voice could pull at the determination of the two Hufflepuffs sitting at the end of her bed.

"No," Midge said and she gathered Eliza's hands in hers. "He didn't have a good reason, E. There's not always a good reason for things."

"But fuck him," Emlyn chimed in. "And I know you don't want to hear it, Eliza, but you can't keep doing this to yourself. What's your plan? Continue to waste away? You don't have time for that. You're going to be a Healer, remember? You have bigger plans outside of Regulus Black. There's a war out there and it needs you. And you know what, _I_ need you. Because you know what, now _Parker's_ the leader of our misfit group and God freaking help me, Eliza!"

There was a long moment of silence and finally, Eliza gave a weak chuckle.

Together, Midge and Emlyn got Eliza out of bed. They peppered her with hugs and kisses and sent her into the bathroom to shower. Eliza spent a long time here, sitting beneath the hot water as she thought.

She mourned for what was and what could have been. And the pain did not leave her. She didn't have a solid resolution that she was going to come out of this shower stronger and resilient. Because that stuff only happened in the silly novels that she so adored. But she got out of the shower and dressed in clean clothes, and let Midge brush her hair and the next morning she went down to breakfast with her little band of misfits.

She had put on make-up and tried not to cry it off. She tried to smile at Parker's jokes. Tried to stomach down some toast that felt like rubber. She succeeded at not glancing to the Slytherin table.

And she did this day after day and waited for time to heal the gaping wound in her heart.

—

They say time heals all wounds, but it seemed to be taking an awful long time for Eliza. She spent her days trying to be normal for her friends, but by nighttime she felt defeated; exhausted from pretending and heartbreak. She couldn't let Em and Midge see her in these times and so she often sought the solace of the Astronomy Tower. When classes weren't happening, the place was deserted.

"So, this is where you hide."

Startled, Eliza sat up to find Parker walking towards her.

"Parker? What are you doing here?"

Parker plopped down next to Eliza. "I like to come up here and think. Looks like I'm not the only one."

Eliza stared at him for a long moment before laying back down. She traced a constellation with her finger. "The stars remind me of how small my problems are."

Parker stared down at Eliza before he too lay down, folding his arms behind his head. It was silent for a long moment.

"Just because the stars burn brightly, doesn't mean it dims your problems."

Eliza turned her head to look at Parker. She smiled. "You put Socrates to shame, Parker."

"You think people will follow my teachings for centuries to come?"

"Definitely."

Parker turned his head to gaze back at Eliza. His eyes shined just as bright in the semi-darkness. They roamed her face, as if looking for something. Finally, he reached over, grabbing her hand and entwining his fingers with hers. They both turned their gaze back to the sky.

—

The day after Parker met Eliza at the Astronomy Tower was a Saturday. Eliza went down to breakfast with Em and Midge to push some eggs around her plate. They watched her worriedly, as usual, and Em opened her mouth just as someone came up from behind Eliza.

"Morning, Eliza."

Eliza looked over her shoulder. "Oh. Good morning Parker."

"Can you come with me? I have some things to show you."

Eliza's eyebrows furrowed as she swiveled in her seat. "What things?"

"I'll show you."

Grabbing her hand, Parker pulled Eliza out of her seat and led her outside. As it was the beginning of March, the snow was almost completely gone now as the weather had warmed but it left the Hogwarts grounds wet and muddy. Parker cast the impervius charm on their shoes and continued down the sloping lawns towards the Quidditch pitch.

"You're not making me help you practice Quidditch, are you?" Eliza asked wearily as they approached the locker rooms.

Parker chuckled. "No. I'm trying to cheer you up, not depress you more."

Eliza gave him a weak smile. Encouraged, Parker slipped into the locker room, appearing a moment later with his broomstick.

"Are you sure about that?" Eliza questioned again, eyeing the broom.

Parker only smiled again, a cheeky white smile, and mounted the broom. He mounted higher on it than he would normally have, which made sense when he beckoned Eliza to sit behind him. Eliza quirked an eyebrow.

Parker held out his hand. "Come on. Don't you trust me?"

Eliza smiled softly and took his hand, letting him guide her onto the broom. Wrapping her arms around his waist, Parker pushed off from the ground. They rose into the sky, not quite as high as would be needed to play Quidditch, and began to soar over the grounds.

Parker took her over Hagrid's hut as Hagrid worked in his garden. He looked up as they passed, waving a large hand in their direction. Eliza waved back. They soared over the forbidden forest, which was alive with the sounds of birds and other creatures that dwelled within. They circled the castle, making loops around the towers. All throughout, Parker made ridiculous commentary, causing Eliza to laugh and smile so much that her face began to hurt.

When they reached the lake, Parker flew so low that Eliza's fingertips could skim over the water.

"I've been told there's merpeople in this lake," Parker said, glancing back at Eliza.

"Who told you that?"

"Someone credible."

"Because _that's_ not a suspicious answer," Eliza rolled her eyes playfully.

"What if I told you it was Professor Dumbledore that told me?"

"Oh? Do you two converse often?" Eliza teased.

Parker sniffed. "I'll have you know that _some_ people recognize my greatness."

Eliza laughed and splashed him with water.

When the two finally made their way inside to attend dinner, Eliza was feeling more lighthearted than she had in a long while. As they passed through the archway and into the Great Hall she was laughing so freely that she almost felt normal again. This did not go unnoticed.

Midge and Emlyn were watching from their table as Eliza and Parker entered the hall. So joyful they were to see Eliza's happiness that they abandoned their seats, sprinting over to the two.

"You're laughing! You're laughing!" Em cried happily, her face glowing with her own happiness.

In turn, Eliza laughed at their obvious glee, tilting her head back to look up at Parker. He was already staring down at her in total endearment.

From that day forward, Eliza and Parker became inseparable. They'd always been close friends, but now it was nigh impossible to see one without the other. Lounging in the Common Room, it was normal to find Eliza seated between his legs, her back resting against him, or for Parker to have his head in Eliza's lap as she read from a book. Sometimes, if one was truly paying attention, they'd notice Eliza's hand absently playing with his golden locks.

They never spoke of any of this. They never labeled it. It was what it was and the two reveled in the simplicity of it. No one else ever mentioned it either. It just became part of their world.

By the end of March of their sixth year, Eliza could breathe again.

**Author's Note:**

**So the inevitable has come. But I can't lie, a little piece of me has always been ElizaXParker. So what will happen to our heroes now?**

**Thank you all so much for the support. I hope you'll tell me what you think of this chapter and your hopes and dreams for the future chapters to come.**

**All my love X.**


	16. Alliances

**16\. Alliances**

"I know you hate me."

Surprised, Eliza glanced up from her book to find Sirius Black standing before her. It was the second Friday of March and Eliza had planned on finishing an essay before heading to lunch. Clearly, this was not meant to be as the Gryffindor stared down at her.

Eliza glared at Sirius Black as she shut her book. Hate was a strong word. Resented fit better. Of course, the rational part of Eliza's brain knew this was folly. Just because Sirius revealed Regulus didn't mean she should resent him for it. In fact, it was better that she knew, despite the pain it caused her. But that didn't mean she didn't dislike Sirius for the years of fighting. Sirius could have embraced his brother. Kept him away from the darkness.

But he was in Slytherin with his Slytherin buddies who probably pushed him closer to the dark side, her rational voice said. She shut that voice down.

"You didn't help matters," Eliza said darkly.

"There was no helping him. There's nothing I could have done. Nothing _you_ could have done."

"That's not true," she fired back.

Sirius gave her a pitying look. "You don't know the Regulus I know. You've never seen his room. Chronicling his _lord's_ advances over his headboard."

Eliza didn't want to hear it. She turned her head away, fighting the tears that wanted to fall.

"He loves you, Eliza," Sirius sad softly with such sincerity that she couldn't doubt his words.

A tear slipped down her face as she continued to look away. "Just not as much as he loves his lord."

Sirius sighed and took a seat opposite her at the table. "I don't think that's true. I just think his priorities are off."

There was a moment of silence as Eliza brushed away her tears with her sleeve.

"You're right though," Sirius said quietly. "The moment I renounced my family's values, everything fell on Regulus' shoulders. Maybe if I hadn't fought him so much…maybe if I had tried to steer him rather than write him off…he'd still be with us."

"There's good in him, I know it," Eliza said, finally turning to look at Sirius. Her hand went to her chest, where a pendent had once rested, but she hadn't worn it for months now… But the fact that said pendent existed…she knew he was good. Was that stupid? It probably would sound stupid if she said it aloud, but in her head, it gave her hope.

Sirius only looked at her with sad eyes. "I hope you're right."

"I am," Eliza said, glancing down at the tabletop. "I just…wasn't good enough to bring it out of him."

Sirius looked at her sharply. "Don't ever say that. You were the best thing that ever happened to him; and he knew it. The way he would look at you…but he gave that up. He knew what he had and he gave it up because he's a prat. Don't go thinking there's anything wrong with you."

Eliza gave a non-committal shrug, unsure of what to make of Sirius' statement.

"Fortunately," Sirius continued. "I know what he gave up. You're a very gifted witch Eliza. You're going to be a Healer right?"

Eliza looked at him with suspicious eyes.

"Your reputation precedes you," Sirius waved his hand airily. "Anyway, we could really use you."

"_We_?"

Sirius' eyes bored into Eliza's. They were the same steely color as his brother's. "Can you keep a secret, Eliza?"

Eliza gave him another suspicious look.

Sirius continued on without an answer. "Professor Dumbledore has started a secret organization outside of the Ministry that is fighting against Voldemort. James, Remus, Peter, Lily; we're all joining The Order once we graduate."

"The Order?"

"That's the name of the organization. The Order of the Phoenix."

Eliza watched Sirius. Just talking about The Order made his back straighten and his face fill with determination. Eliza wanted that; that sense of purpose. She wanted a way to fight back against the evil that took her mother from her, that took her Regulus from her.

"Where do I sign?"

Sirius grinned and held out his hand. Eliza took it and they shook on it.

"Padfoot!" The unmistakable voice of James Potter reached their ears, followed by the harsh "Shush!" From the librarian.

"Your lover is calling for you," Eliza smirked.

"As if," Sirius rolled his eyes. "Not with Lily flaunting around with that pretty face."

Eliza laughed. "Why do they call you Padfoot, anyway?"

Sirius looked at her, studying her for a moment, before answering. "My patronus is a dog."

Eliza blinked but said nothing. Instead, she gazed intently at Sirius, making him shift uncomfortably. Then, a small, sad smile slipped onto her lips.

"What?" Sirius asked, feeling defensive and confused.

"So was Regulus'."

Sirius' face went blank. Slowly, he looked down at his hands. After a long moment, he got to his feet. He didn't glance at her as he said quietly; "See you around, Eliza."

"See you around."

—

Now that Eliza was on speaking terms with Sirius, she was free to spend more time with Lily. Eliza found a sort of peace spending time with Lily. She was the only person Eliza knew who had gone through something similar and it was comforting seeing Lily shine. It gave her hope for herself.

After Eliza's and Sirius' mutual understanding, it had still felt awkward and wrong being around him. But the more time she spent with him, the less wrong it became. Eliza would never be able to say when they'd become friends. It was just a thing that had happened somewhere along the way.

Sirius was impressed at the spells Eliza could do, which led to her hosting training sessions with the boys. Talented themselves, they were able to show her a few things. And Lily, being bookish like Eliza, dragged James (who dragged Sirius) to the library to find information to help in the fight against Voldemort. And as Lily and James were a couple and held hands and exchanged glances, it left Sirius and Eliza feeling like third and forth wheels. And this mutual feeling led to a type of bond between the handsome Gryffindor and the pretty Hufflepuff. Before long, Sirius and Eliza found themselves going to the library themselves. And sometimes her Hufflepuff friends came along. And sometimes the Hufflepuff "buccaneers" as James christened the miffed group, accompanied the Marauders on everything from walks around the grounds, to practicing Quidditch, to dueling each other for practice.

Midge was ecstatic, having wistfully pined for James and Sirius since her arrival at Hogwarts. Jack was forever rolling his eyes. Parker was thrilled to play alongside the "legendary Potter" and Em delighted in teaming up with the fellow chaser to give Parker a run for his money. Arthur absolutely blossomed, finding his confidence with his new friends.

And between her classes and training and her new friends, Eliza began to think of Regulus less and less, which was a bit strange to realize because, at first, she always saw Regulus in Sirius' face. But the closer they became, the less she saw of her ex-boyfriend. She hardly noticed that they had the same eyes, because now they didn't. They were the same color and shape, but Sirius' were warmer, brighter somehow-always alit with mischief and they always lit up when she greeted him. The siblings also shared the same air of confidence, but Sirius' didn't make one feel inferior, rather it made one feel like they could accomplish anything.

She couldn't say when the rumors started, but Eliza began to notice them about mid-April. Hushed whispers moved from one pair of lips to the next that Eliza Adwell was dating _the_ Sirius Black and the _brother_ to her long time best friend and ex-lover Regulus. Few peers actually approached her to ask about the validity of these claims, which was far from the norm at Hogwarts. In later years, Sirius admitted he did little to dispel the rumors and wondered if maybe Regulus had kept anyone too curious to be silent from fear. Yet still, the rumor persisted.

If any of it bothered Parker, he never showed it. It simply was not in his nature. And as "whatever they were" was not an official relationship, he felt he had no right to say anything. Although Eliza suspected it wore on him to a point, for one day, Parker was approached to ask just who Eliza was dating. Reportedly, Parker said "no one". But that evening, everyone had gone to bed, leaving Parker and Eliza alone. He'd been quiet throughout the evening, leaving Eliza worried, but she didn't comment. She bid Parker goodnight and made her way to her dorm. But before she could reach it, Parker got to his feet, closing the distance between them in a few long strides and grabbed her hand. He pulled her back to him and pulled her into a passionate kiss by grasping the back of her head and crashing his lips into hers. Although surprised at first, Eliza felt a swoop in her belly and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He gently pushed her against the wall, his body flush against her. And the hour the proceeded would change their "whatever they were" just a little bit.

Regardless, life continued on, as did her close friendship with Sirius. He had waited for her outside the Potions classroom one day, meaning to return a book she had borrowed him. "I didn't know you could read!" Eliza had teased. It being lunch time, the pair started their trek away from the classroom, chatting rapidly about the book. They made a detour towards the Hufflepuff Common Room, as Eliza wanted to drop the book off in her dorm.

"Black!"

The shout rang out down the hallway and Sirius and Eliza stopped, glancing behind them to find that two people had followed them. It was Mulciber and Regulus. Eliza swallowed hard against her throat. Sirius however, was already palming his wand. Seeing as he and James had ambushed Mulciber and Avery the other day with some impressive wandwork, he naturally assumed Mulciber was here for revenge. But why Regulus? Daring a glance at Eliza's conflicted expression, Sirius couldn't help but wonder if it was meant to take a stab at her. Perhaps Mulciber had been waiting to ambush Sirius and, seeing that he was with Eliza, quickly grabbed Regulus just to torment her.

Mulciber was watching them the same way a wolf might watch it's prey. "Well, if it isn't Eliza Adwell. I hear you've replaced Regulus here with his own brother. Or is it with McKinnon?"

Eliza's wand was in her hand and pointed at Mulciber's ugly face before anyone could blink. In another second, his wand was pointed at her. Sirius' wand pointed at Mulciber and Regulus' wand was pointed at Sirius. A moment passed while no one moved. Then Eliza took a step forward, holding the tip of her wand beneath Mulciber's jaw.

Eliza's eyes narrowed into the darkest glare she could manage. "It could be with **both** of them and I'd still stink less of trash than you."

Mulciber's lip curled into a sneer but he was acutely aware of Eliza's wand jabbing into his skin. But the second Eliza pulled her wand back, Mulciber moved to strike. Sirius was faster and he sent a spell at Mulciber that sent him sprawling feet away. Regulus' wand slashed through the air in retaliation but Eliza stepped in front of Sirius and created a shield that absorbed the spell.

It was not lost on Eliza that the first time she peered through a shield it was also at Regulus. But it had been during their second Defense Against the Dark Arts class. They'd been kids then. Back then, he awed her with his wisdom. Intrigued her with his distance. Ensnared her with his smile.

Five years later, Eliza stared through her shield at Regulus. She stared at that angular jaw line, the high cheek bones, the piercing silver eyes. She felt sick. She felt sad. She felt angry.

"Expelliarmus!"

Regulus' wand flew from his hand, proving he'd been just as distracted by the girl staring through a shield. Sirius caught Regulus' wand and Eliza dropped the shield. Sirius' eyes found Eliza, trying not to look concerned in front of the "enemy", but worrying about her all the same.

Regulus was watching them darkly, his hands clenching into fists at his side. He was clearly trying to rule his face, but his jaw betrayed him, clearly clenching in anger. Sirius wondered if Eliza noticed. Her face betrayed nothing but she watched Regulus for a long moment.

Finally, she turned to look at Sirius. "Let's go."

And with that, she turned her back on Regulus. Sirius took one last look at his brother, catching a glance that chilled even his blood. For this reason, he turned and followed Eliza, not daring to throw Regulus' wand back until they were a safe distance away.

—

"Hey Adwell!"

Eliza stopped and turned to discover it was none other than James Potter and Sirius Black who were calling her name.

"Gentleman," Eliza nodded in acknowledgement.

"We're throwing a huge rager this evening if you're in need of some entertainment," James said. "A little early festivities before we graduate."

"Who's invited?"

"Only the coolest of sorts," Black replied. "So, yes, you can invite your friends. Except Arthur."

Eliza quirked an eyebrow. "I feel like you're forgetting what he did to Mulciber's face the other week."

Sirius' eyes rolled to the right. "Ah yes. That was some fine work. Alright, he can come too. Seven o'clock."

"Be there or be square," James said with a wink.

—

"Well they've certainly outdone themselves," Em said, impressed as the Hufflepuffs entered the unused classroom the Marauders were "borrowing".

Large House banners (excluding Slytherin) adorned the walls. Little balls floated above their heads, reminding Eliza of star light. There was food and drinks and music playing from somewhere.

"I agree," Parker nodded and the Hufflepuffs joined the festivities.

Arthur found himself in conversation with Remus while Pattie and Emlyn, and Parker and Eliza hit the dance floor. But Eliza still had two left feet and her and Parker broke away from the makeshift dance floor laughing.

"I'll go grab some drinks," Parker said, disappearing through a throng of people.

Eliza glanced around herself and found Jack sitting against a wall. She went to join him, taking a seat and taking in the party around her. Lily was dancing with James. She smiled to see that Midge was dancing with Sirius. Very…_intimately_. Eliza turned to Jack to comment, but came up short. He was looking crossly at the pair, his foot tapping incessantly against the ground, his crossed arms seemingly digging into his ribcage.

"Jack, are you alright?"

"Of course I'm alright," he snapped at her.

Eliza blinked, taken aback. "Jack-"

But she was cut off by Midge approaching them, her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright. "This is so much fun!"

"I can see you're having fun," Jack said crossly.

His tone caused Midge's facial expression to change drastically. "What's _your_ problem?"

"Me? I don't have a problem. I'm not the one throwing myself at Sirius Black."

Midge's face flushed an unflattering scarlet as she glared. "I am not-!"

"Oh? What do you call that!?" Jack pointed at where they'd been dancing.

Midge scoffed. "None of your business, that's what! Where do you get off telling me how to live my life!?"

"Well when you're just throwing it in everyone's faces!"

"Excuse me!? You're the only one who seems to be having a problem with it!"

Jack was on his feet. Eliza got to her feet too, anxiety rising at the hostility flowing around her. Jack's jaw was clenching back and forth.

"What's wrong, Jack? Cat got your tongue?" Midge snapped. "What's your problem!?"

"YOU!"

Midge recoiled but she still shot back, "Well if it's such a problem for you, why don't you do something about it!?"

She stepped in towards him, challenging him with her glare. He stepped forward. "You think I won't!?"

"No, I don't!"

But he did. Jack wrapped his hand behind her head and pulled her in, crashing his lips into hers. There was a moment of dead silence as Midge realized what was going on, and then she flung her arms around Jack's neck, deepening the kiss.

Eliza felt incredibly awkward, standing beside the passionately kissing pair. She scratched her head and looked this way and that until finally, the pair broke apart with a rather loud smacking noise. Breathing heavily, Midge and Jack just stared at each other.

The entire room erupted in applause and whoops and cheers. Eliza laughed to see every person cheerfully watching the pair. Parker appeared at her elbow, grinning from ear to ear.

"Well it's about goddamn time," he whispered into Eliza's ear and she laughed.

—

There could have been no finer day for graduation. The sun was bright and the weather warm but a breeze kept away the balm. While not obligated to sit in on the ceremony, Eliza and company chose to see their friends earn their achievement.

Afterwards they decided to stay on the grounds, soaking up the sun and goofing around. Arthur had found a camera and got busy taking shots.

_Snap_. Sirius between James and Lily, receiving a kiss on the cheek from both of them. _Snap_. Eliza and Lily hugging. _Snap_. Midge, Em, Eliza and Lily fawning over James and Sirius striking a pose. _Snap_. James and Lily kissing. _Snap_. Sirius pretending to try and kiss a **very** uncomfortable Remus. _Snap_. Eliza giving Sirius a kiss on the cheek. _Snap_. Pattie and Em kissing. _Snap_. Eliza and Parker embracing. And a fellow student was handed the camera and a shot was taken of all of them.

Awhile later, Lily found Eliza beneath the shade of a tree, watching the boys act like twelve-year-olds.

Eliza smiled sadly as Lily took a seat beside her. "I don't know how I'll get by without you guys next year."

"The same way you got by before us."

Eliza rolled her eyes playfully. "Sure, if you call that getting by."

Lily giggled. "You've been spending too much time with the boys."

Eliza smiled gently but said nothing.

Lily smiled softly, putting a hand atop Eliza's arm. "I'll tell you what you're going to do next year. _Enjoy it_. Enjoy Hogwarts before you're looking back on it, realizing it's too late."

"Hogwarts is full of ghosts for me…"

"Don't let Regulus do that to you," Lily frowned. "And _we're_ not ghosts; we're memories. Hogwarts is your home, Eliza, and no one can take that from you."

Eliza gave her a smile. "I suppose you're right."

"I **am** right. Besides, you'll hardly notice we're gone! We'll make sure to write. Next year will fly by and before you know it, you'll be doing work for The Order!"

Eliza's eyes lit up, the same way they always did when The Order was mentioned.

"And besides, you'll see us this summer. You might have to help myself and James go house hunting."

"Moving right in together?" Eliza quirked an eyebrow.

Lily blushed. "Yeah well…beats going home, neh? Besides, that trouble-maker's made a gooey mess out of me."

Eliza giggled. "I'm glad someone did. You deserve it."

Lily and Eliza shared a hug. Their touching moment was quickly ruined by James and Sirius hurling water spells at them. Getting to their feet, Lily and Eliza retaliated and Eliza's last greatest memory of sixth year was winning a water fight with her ridiculous friends.

**Author's Note:**

**Wow. So a lot going on here. Eliza's world has been turned a little upside down hasn't it? Shout out to my JackXMidge shippers. It certainly took them long enough didn't it?**

**Seventh year is coming (as well as my longest chapter-weighing in at a whopping 17 pages- and probably favorite chapter). What will that entail? Will there be redemption for Regulus? Or will Eliza finally leave him behind? Will she ever truly leave him behind? Will she get to work for The Order? Will Eliza finally be free of the drama? Spoiler alert: she will not.**

**I am so thrilled with the reviews about how fans feel about Sirius. While I adore the Marauders, including Sirius, it is my job in this fict to shine light upon "the bad guy" and shadow upon "the good guy". I feel I have successfully accomplished this and I can't tell you how amazing that feels!**

**I can't believe we're nearing the end. I cannot gush enough about how much I adore all of my readers! Those of you who comment (and who always comment), you give me more than you could possibly imagine with those few sentences. I'm so glad you're here and I hope you'll continue to share this journey with me!**


	17. Vigilantes

**17\. Vigilantes**

_September 20th, 1979_

_Eliza,_

_I'm so proud of you taking over my position as Head Girl! Keep a close eye on Parker though! James told me he gave him the best advice about being Head Boy and well…we all know he should just disregard all of that! I'm also thrilled that Madam Pomfrey took you on as an apprentice! Who would have thought? She must have a lot of faith in you. Which we all know is well placed._

_I've turned over what you told me to The Order. We think you might be right; but please don't put yourself in trouble trying to stop it! We've told Dumbledore and he'll sort out everything._

_It's been a bit depressing in The Order lately. I'm sure you heard about the Bones murders. That was a blow to us. The world will never be the same for knowing them. _

_But I shouldn't be burdening you with our troubles; you have enough on your plate. Keep your head up and keep each other safe!_

_All my love,_

_Lily_

_PS- Sirius wants me to tell you to stick it to the Slytherins but DO NOT stick it to the Slytherins._

Eliza set down the letter with a frown. It certainly didn't sound like Lily thought she could deal with their recent troubles on her own. What was she, a baby? She was nearing seventeen; just as able to put herself in the line of fire as them. Besides, what was she thinking Dumbledore would do? Unless he was there at the time of the attacks there was nothing solid that could be done. And besides, he couldn't confirm it was linked back to the Slytherins.

It had started the second week of term; Midge and Jack had been first. They'd climbed up to the Astronomy Tour, leaning against the railing and peeking up at the Heavens. They hadn't heard anyone approach but a very young voice rang out from the shadows: "Stupefy!"

The pair whipped around but Midge was hit full blast in the chest. She would have been flung from the tower if Jack hadn't grabbed her and brought her to the ground with him. Pulling his wand out, his eyes searched the room. They finally caught a figure near the stairs. A very short figure. Jack strained his eyes, catching the color on the robe before the figure departed, racing down the stairs.

Jack thought of giving chase, but Midge was his main priority. "Rennervate."

Jack wanted to take Midge to the hospital wing but she insisted she was fine. She much preferred returning to the Common Room and having Eliza watch over her. And so they did.

"It was a blatant attack," Jack said angrily, leaning against the mantlepiece.

Eliza sat on the couch with Midge, making sure she hadn't incurred any minor injury, which she hadn't.

"Did you see who did it?" Em asked.

Jack frowned. "Not exactly. It was weird…the voice sounded really young. A boy who definitely hasn't hit puberty yet. And he was short. I couldn't see his face though."

"So what? Are they making their younger Slytherins attack muggle-borns? Like some kind of sick coronation?" Arthur spat in disgust.

"That's the thing…it wasn't a Slytherin…"

"What?" Eliza raised an eyebrow.

"He was wearing Ravenclaw robes," Jack said.

"Why would a young Ravenclaw attack you guys?" Parker's eyebrows grew together in thought.

"A sympathizer?" Eliza suggested.

"Could be…" Em said, sounding as though she was lost in thought. "But it just seems strange."

"Yeah…." Eliza glanced worriedly over to Midge. "Very strange."

Nothing strange happened the rest of the week, but the week after was a completely different story. On a Monday, Arthur never turned up for class. When class let out the Hufflepuffs skipped their next class to find him. It took all afternoon to find him in the infirmary.

Madam Pomfrey told them someone had knocked him out cold. He kept waking up sporadically, shooting up in bed and talking complete nonsense. The shock of it sent Midge into tears and Jack forbade her to visit the next day. Parker, Em and Eliza took shifts at his bedside, when Madam Pomfrey allowed.

Eliza spent that time with books in her lap, trying to figure out what spell would have put her friend in such a case. She eventually found it late one evening and dashed to Madam Pomfrey's office to alert her at once.

"Next time we wake him we have to hit him with a freezing charm. Slowly unfreezing him should reset his mind. But we'll have to keep him warm, maybe give him a pepper up potion," Eliza explained in a rush, the book's instructions flashing through her mind as Pomfrey and she rushed back to Arthur's bed.

As they reached it, Pomfrey turned to look at Eliza, her eyes scanning her thoughtfully. "You're planning on being a Healer, is that right?"

"Yes, ma'am," Eliza said, glancing anxiously at her friend.

Madam Pomfrey nodded. "I will deal with the charm if you can whip up a batch of pepper up potion."

Later in bed that night, Eliza would find herself astounded by Madam Pomfrey's request but at the time, she simply rushed to do the chore. By the time she arrived with it, Arthur was laying shivering in his bed beneath several blankets.

"He's awake!" Eliza gasped in relief. Madam Pomfrey held her hand out for the potion but Eliza hardly noticed. She sat at Arthur's bed side and spoon fed him the potion herself.

"How are you feeling, Arthur?" She asked quietly, placing the empty bowl and spoon down on his nightstand.

"Tired," he replied, his cheeks flushed from the potion.

Eliza leaned in and placed a kiss on his forehead. "We were so worried about you."

He smiled weakly. Eliza laid him back down and pulled the covers up to his chin. "You rest up, okay? We'll come see you in the morning."

He was asleep before he could answer.

The next morning, Eliza hurried to the infirmary before her friends. She was just making it up one flight of stairs, ready to step onto the platform when a curse caught her in the back. She fell forward onto the stone floor, feeling the breath leave her body.

"Cruc-"

_Stupify_!

Her nonverbal curse hit the target, as she heard a body drop in front of her. Trying to regain her breath, Eliza scrambled to her feet. She took several paces forward to find a second year Hufflepuff flat on his back. His name was Jonathan and she was shocked to see him. Shocked that he had almost performed a torture curse on her.

Gently getting to her knees beside him, she waved her wand over him. "Rennervate."

Jonathan sat up, gasping for air. He looked around wildly and upon seeing Eliza, his eyes widened with fear.

"Jonathan," Eliza said calmly, her Head Girl voice in use. "What are you doing?"

"Wh-what?"

"Why did you attack me?"

Jonathan looked confused. He looked down to find his wand in his hand and a panic lit up his face.

"Eliza! I…I swear! I don't…" his face contorted in confusion, as though he could not process the situation.

Frowning, Eliza helped the boy to his feet. "Come on, we're going to see Professor Dumbledore."

"Eliza!" His voice was high pitched with fear.

Eliza put a hand on his shoulder, both to offer some sort of reassurance, and to steer him in the direction she wanted him to go.

"It's okay, Jonathan."

They walked in silence, Jonathan's face pale. His body shook with fear.

"Cockroach clusters," Eliza said to the gargoyle. It moved aside and Eliza and the scared second year ascended the stairs to Dumbledore's office door. She knocked three times.

"Enter."

Eliza pushed open the door and entered the room, Jonathan in tow.

"Eliza. Jonathan," Dumbledore greeted them from his desk. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Eliza glanced down at Jonathan but immediately knew he would not be able to speak. And so she explained what had happened as Jonathan stared at his trainers. When she'd finished, Dumbledore watched Jonathan with those blue eyes, his chin arrest on his laced fingers.

"Did you want to hurt Eliza, Jonathan?"

He frantically shook his head no.

"But you cursed her, and then tried to use an Unforgiveable Curse."

Jonathan was shaking his head rapidly. His mouth was opening and closing, like he was trying to speak, but no words came out.

"Do you know what Unforgivable Curses are?"

More denial, this time as tears began to pool in the young boy's eyes.

Dumbledore stood and moved around his desk to stand next to Jonathan.

"That is all, Eliza."

Eliza blinked at her sudden dismissal. She looked to Dumbledore but he only gave her one of his stares and she nodded, turning on her heel and made her way back towards the infirmary.

When she arrived, their entire friend group was huddled around Arthur's bed. Madam Pomfrey was lurking around the other beds, casting doubtful glares at the gang every several seconds.

"Eliza! Where have you been?" Em asked when Eliza made her way over.

Trying to appear calm, Eliza took a seat next to Em, taking Arthur's hand.

"Arthur, do you remember who attacked you?"

Arthur looked much better than he had the night before. His normal coloring was back and his eyes were bright. But he shook his head. "No, I was just telling these guys I didn't see anything."

"Did you hear anyone?"

Arthur screwed his face up in concentration before shaking his head. "I…I can't be sure."

Taking a deep breath, Eliza quickly relayed what she had just encountered in the lowest voice she could muster, afraid Madam Pomfrey might overhear.

Her friends were horrified. Em opened her mouth but Eliza quickly cut her off. "Not here."

Back in their Common Room later that night, Eliza and her friends huddled in a corner.

"Young students are attacking us, and who knows who else," Parker said, shaking his head. "Why?"

"I think they're being forced to," said Eliza grimly. "Jonathan seemed completely bewildered, not to mention horrified when he realized what was going on."

"Do you think they're under the imperius curse?" Jack asked.

Eliza nodded. "Yes. And I'm sure we all know who is really behind these attacks."

"Slytherins," Jack said contemptuously.

"But why you, E?" Midge asked.

"Well, aside for the fact that I'm friends with two muggle-borns, I've pissed off more than a few Slytherins," she replied darkly.

"But I would have thought you'd be untouchable-" Em broke off when the Hufflepuffs filled with tension.

Eliza did her best to ignore it. "I don't have Regulus' protection anymore."

Everyone could feel the next question that needed to be asked. Was Regulus involved in these attacks? But no one dare ask.

"I'm going to send an owl to Lily; let The Order know Voldemort's dirty work is being done here," Eliza said.

"And in the meantime?" Parker raised an eyebrow.

"Well, it's obvious isn't it?" Em pushed her hair over her shoulders. "We catch the bloody cowards before they hurt anyone else."

"And then what?" Jack said with scrutiny. "I have a hard time believing the professors are going to appreciate vigilante work."

"What they don't know, won't hurt them," Em said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yeah but what's the end game? March them to Dumbledore's office? Because, like I said. Or what? Just make their lives hell?"

Eliza sighed, running a hand through her hair in frustration. "Well we have to do something."

"First we need to collect some intel, figure out exactly who is doing this," Parker said.

"Any ideas?" Arthur asked.

"Well…we could trail them," Midge suggested.

"That's dangerous," Jack shot her a glare. "What if they catch you? They clearly don't care about harming you. They could have killed you if I hadn't caught you from falling off the tower!"

Jack's tone was rough but his eyes were pleading. Midge sighed and caught his hand in hers.

"I'll do it," Eliza said.

"Not by yourself," Parker said.

"Me and Parker are helping you," Em nodded.

Eliza glanced to all her friends in turn. Then she nodded.

—

Eliza read through Lily's letter again. Her eyes hovered her congratulations on being made Madam Pomfrey's apprentice. This was something she hadn't been told yet. Apparently The Order was very on top of the intel. The excitement over her impending apprenticeship dimmed however as her eyes scanned over the rest of the letter. She understood Lily's concern, appreciated it, but she was with Sirius on this one. No one was getting hurt on her watch. And look at that, her watch had just begun.

Evan Rosier had just entered the Great Hall with Wilkes. She watched them from atop her letter as they made their way to the Slytherin table. Her and Rosier shared the same classes, as did her and Regulus. It gave her the perfect opportunity to tail him.

Jack still wasn't on board with the mission. Eliza knew this was out of fear for his friends, not cowardice, but sometimes sacrifices had to be made. Her mother had given the ultimate sacrifice to end this war and Eliza wasn't about to let her down.

The Slytherins ate breakfast and as they made to stand, so did Eliza. But she never made it away from the table as Professor Sprout was suddenly blocking her way.

"Good morning, Professor," Eliza said, glancing over once more as her targets began to leave the hall.

"Good morning, Eliza. I have a message from Madam Pomfrey; she would like you to meet her in the infirmary after your classes today."

Eliza blinked, having forgotten the news in the letter for a moment. "For what?"

Professor Sprout smiled. "Oh I don't want to ruin the surprise. Now don't you lot have classes to get to? Pip pip."

The Hufflepuffs rose, glancing at each other. With hasty farewells, Eliza, Parker and Em made their way to Potions.

Despite all the memories found in the Potions classroom, Eliza still always felt at home when she took her seat. She now always sat with Parker and Em, while Regulus and his classmates sat on the other side of the room. Eliza had perfected not glancing in that direction last spring.

After Potions, Rosier and Regulus slipped into the mens' bathroom. Eliza cursed her luck. How could she hover outside the bathroom without being noticed? But then a thought hit her. What if this was how they were ambushing students?

With new resolve, Eliza grabbed Em's hand and steered her towards the girls' bathroom feet away.

"What are you doing?" Em hissed.

"I'll wait for you out here," Eliza said loudly, more loudly than was normally necessary. Several heads turned in her direction.

Em shot her a stare but went into the bathroom. Eliza leaned up against the wall between the restrooms, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible. She watched boys exit the bathroom, but none appeared to be acting strangely. Eliza frowned at her own folly. If they were cursed, they probably would appear normal until they saw their target. She bit back a frustrated cry.

Em exited the bathroom before the Slytherins and they were forced into defeat; for now.

For weeks the Hufflepuffs trailed their classmates, but all for naught. And there had been no more attacks, at least that they had heard of. But Eliza figured she would know, as when she met with Madam Pomfrey, it was indeed to be offered an apprenticeship with the Healer.

Working in the infirmary had given Eliza a purpose that even joining The Order hadn't quite provided. She knew this was what she was meant to do. And the tasks and challenges she was set within those walls help ease the obsession she had over the Slytherins. Ease, but not entire rid her.

The holidays rolled around in a whirlwind of exams, apprenticeship and trying not to go crazy. Eliza had received an invitation from Lily and James in early December, inviting her to stay with them over the holidays. Eliza chose to accept and as the weeks dwindled by, she found she was growing excited about the visit, especially when Slughorn's Christmas party invitation also came to her.

Eliza wasn't prepared for the onslaught of emotions that came with unraveling that scroll. Slughorn's party had always been for her and Regulus. They'd spent countless memories there. It was at one of these parties that she'd realized she'd fallen in love with Regulus.

That entire day Eliza felt like she was floating through the day. She couldn't concentrate on classes. She didn't eat. She could barely hear the conversations of her friends around her.

"Eliza…"

Eliza glanced up. Late the evening, after everyone had gone to bed, Eliza sat in front of the dwindling fire, watching the embers pop. She looked up to find Parker staring down at her with concern.

"Are you okay? You've been…not yourself all day."

Eliza said nothing and Parker took a seat beside her. After a long moment of silence, Eliza turned to look at him. "Would you like to go to Slughorn's party with me?"

Parker's eyes widened and it seemed to hit him what had been wrong with his friend. His gaze soft, he laid a hand on Eliza's. "Eliza…you don't have to go…"

Eliza shook her head. "Yes I do; I haven't missed a single one. Professor Slughorn would be so disappointed."

"But-"

"I won't run from this," Eliza said, her fierce stare determined.

Parker wanted to argue but he sighed and nodded.

"Will you go with me?" Eliza asked again, quietly.

A memory came to Parker then, from so long ago and he smiled softly. "That would be great."

—

"Well bless my soul, don't you clean up well?" Eliza teased as Parker exited the boy's dorm to meet her.

"Not as well as you," he said, his green eyes twinkling

Eliza had chosen a dark blue dress with small glittery stars. She'd pinned her hair into a knot at the nape of her neck but a few curly tendrils had escaped and flowed over her shoulders.

Smiling, she looped her arms with Parker as they left the Hufflepuff Common Room behind.

"Eliza! And Mr. McKinnon ! Always a pleasure my boy," Professor Slughorn patted his shoulder.

"He remembered your name this time," Eliza giggled quietly in Parker's ear.

"Alas," Slughorn sighed, turning to Eliza. "Our last Christmas bash together! I shall miss you and young Regulus dearly! But then," his eyes twinkled. "I'm sure you'll be back."

Eliza beamed. "It will always be my pleasure, Sir."

Eliza sighed as they truly entered the party. She missed Lily and couldn't help the immediate reaction to search for the red head. Her absence left an echo in her heart. And before she could stop it, Eliza realized she was missing Regulus.

As soon as she felt it, she tried to push it down. Tried to ignore the feeling of her pendant pulsing at her neck, despite the fact she hadn't worn it in near a year. To her horror, tears prickled the edges of her eyes. Angrily, she wiped them away.

"Eliza…" Parker took her hand and turned him to her. "We can leave."

"No," said Eliza adamantly. "I am here with you."

Parker gave her a soft smile. "Well then, I best do my job."

Parker led her to the dance floor and twirled her around to the music. She tried to lose herself in it. Memories kept trying to force their way into her mind. Trying to make her feel like it was Regulus expertly moving her body. But she fought back. She grabbed onto Parker's shirt and pulled him towards her, so quickly it caught him by surprise.

Eliza's eyes searched his face. From his blonde hair, to those beautiful eyes. Those eyes that stared at her like she was the most precious thing in the world. It sent goosebumps over her skin to see him look at her like that. She memorized his face. Took in his scent; an airy scent that reminded her a Spring showers.

Slowly, she reached her hand up and placed her palm against his cheek. In response, his hand rose to hers, cupping it against his face. Eliza smiled. He was so sweet, her Parker. As people danced around them, they stood still, and she reached up on her tippy toes and placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

"Eliza…" he said softly as she pulled away. "You can't do this to me."

"Do what?"

He looked at her with longing. "Look at me like that. Kiss me like that. Otherwise I'll-"

"Just kiss me, Parker McKinnon."

And so he did. Deep and passionate and full of longing. It wasn't the first kiss they'd shared. And they'd done more than kiss that one night his jealousies got the better of him. But this was different. She didn't know why, or how, but it was, and she could feel it. It hummed in her veins.

Parker pulled back from her, his goofy smile lighting up his face. It made her smile, made her want to put more of those smiles on his face. But then, his smile dropped and his eyebrows knitted in confusion.

"Did you hear that?" He asked.

"Hear what?"

Parker frowned and glanced over his shoulder at the entrance. "Probably nothing…I should probably just go make sure though. I am Head Boy after all."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Eliza asked.

He smiled down at her. "No. Why don't you grab us some drinks? I'll be right back."

Eliza nodded and watched him leave the party. She turned to head towards the drink table, but she stopped. Something felt off, though she could discern what. Glancing curiously back to the doorway, she decided to follow Parker. She was Head Girl after all. And so she followed Parker and what she found she did not expect at all.

Down the corridor aways, where it was lit by only one or two torches, were three bodies. One lay slumped up against the wall and someone stood opposite, a wand pointing down at their fallen form. Parker was standing near the two, his hands out, clearly trying to diffuse a situation.

Eliza bit her lip. She didn't want to rush onto the scene and disrupt whatever calm Parker may have managed. She didn't want to make things worse. So she slowly made her way over, being as quiet and unseen as possible in an open corridor.

"Regulus! Put the wand down!"

"I have half a mind to curse you too, Hufflepuff," Regulus snarled, twitching his wand in Parker's direction.

"You don't want to do that," Parker warned, reaching for his own wand. "I don't care what squabbles you have amongst yourselves, but take them somewhere else!"

"Curse him, Regulus," sneered the figure slumped against the wall. It was Wilkes. "It's what you want to do isn't it? Couldn't stand the sight of him kissing your whore."

_BANG_!

Blood spurted out of Wilkes' nose at an alarming rate. He spat several foul words at Regulus but they were mostly unintangible as he attempted to stop his hemorrhaging nose.

"Regulus!" Parker warned again, but once again, Regulus' wand was pointed at him.

Eliza rushed in out of nowhere, pushing Parker to the side as Regulus shot his spell. Eliza took the hit instead. There was no adrenaline to dull the searing hot pain that hit her like speeding train and she cried out, immediately crumpling to the floor.

"ELIZA!" Parker was at her side, scooping her into his arms. He was covered in blood.

The shock had kicked in and Eliza's eyes searched his face; it was splattered with crimson blood. Her eyebrows furrowed in concern. "You're hurt."

Parker shook his head, but his face was pale. He glanced down at Eliza's body, making her glance down as well. It looked like a whip had hit her, for she was slashed from her left shoulder down to her right hip. It was her blood he'd been splattered with, and she was losing a lot of it. Slow to acknowledge what had just happened, Eliza pressed against her torso, hissing in pain upon doing so and brought a shaky hand to her face to find it coated in blood.

"You son of a bitch!" Parker roared, glaring at Regulus.

Regulus looked like he was frozen. His wand was still in his hand but his face was stark white, his eyes wide, his mouth open.

"P-Parker…I'm…I'm cold," Eliza said, suddenly feeling very weak. She was cold, and her whole body hurt. How could she feel like she was on fire and icy cold all at once? The pain kept coming in waves and she whimpered despite herself.

"Eliza, sh, it's going to be okay," Parker gathered the girl in his arms, picking her up off the ground. She cried out at the movement. A vast pool of dark blood now lay on the concrete. Parker himself was shaking as he glared at Regulus with hatred. "If anything happens to her, I will rip you limb from limb!"

Still, Regulus did not move. His eyes were frozen on Eliza's body. Eliza's vision was getting blurry but she tried to blink it away to focus on Regulus. She wanted to tell him something, but it kept slipping from her mind as the consciousness tried to leave her.

She parted her lips, but with a small, weak voice all she could manage was: "Regulus…why…?"

And then darkness consumed Eliza Adwell with the distant chanting of her name from Parker. She could hear his voice was straining. She wanted to reassure him, but the darkness came for her and that was that.

—

Eliza groaned against the light that was trying to sneak beneath her eyelids. It was so _bright_. All Eliza could think was: _I don't want to get up._

"Eliza, honey…are you awake?"

_Em_?

"Eliza?"

"Em…?" Eliza croaked, still not finding it within herself to open her eyes.

"Yes, love, I'm here…"

Eliza's body ached. She'd never hurt so bad. She felt like her entire body had been pulverized. And then it hit her. The party. Regulus and Wilkes. Parker.

"Parker…Parker…"

"He's fine, honey. He's right here."

The need to ensure with her own eyes that Parker was safe overpowered her desire to block out the light. She cracked her eyelids open, bit by bit, blinking away the sunshine filling the room. And then Parker's face was filling her vision. He still looked pale, his face wrought with worry.

"You're so…pale," Eliza said.

"I'm fine," Parker exasperated, but he did it softly. His fingers moved some hair out of her face. "How are you?"

"Hurting…"

"That fucker opened you up from shoulder to hip. You almost went into hemolytic shock by the time Parker got you here," Em said bitterly.

"Where am I?" Eliza tried to sit up, but it proved too painful.

"You're in the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey fixed you up well enough but you're still pretty unstable," Em said.

Finally Eliza's eyes were focused enough to take in her surroundings. She was, indeed, laying in a bed, wrapped in white sheets. Emlyn was sitting in a chair to her left and Parker was sitting on the edge of her bed on her right, holding her hand.

"Where are the others?" Eliza asked.

"Arthur is tasked with keeping Jack and Midge in the Common Room. They fought like hell to hunt Regulus down," Em said.

_Regulus_.

Eliza's heart stung just thinking of him. She could still see him there, standing, frozen.

"Is he…alright…?"

Parker tensed up beside her. "How could you even ask about him!?"

Eliza closed her eyes, trying to shrink in on herself. "I'm sorry…"

Parker sighed, ranking a hand through his bangs. "No, I'm sorry. I just…"

Em watched on, her eyes sad, her lips closed firmly.

"Does…anyone know?" Eliza asked quietly after a long moment.

"You mean staff?" Em asked. "We didn't tell them anything; we weren't sure if you would want that…As for the rest of the school…well they know something went down, and with you as your absence has been noted…but they don't know what. No one has even seen Regulus."

"What day is it?"

"The twenty-third. You've been asleep almost two days."

"The twenty-third?" Eliza's eyes shot open. This was the day everyone was to leave for Christmas break. She struggled into a sitting position. It hurt like hell, but she managed it.

"Eliza!" Em chided, quickly grabbing a potion bottle from her beside table. "Here, drink this. It's for pain."

Eliza took the vial and drank, handing Em back the empty bottle.

"I-I have to go!" Eliza said, remembering her holiday plans.

"Eliza…" Em said wearily. "I don't think you can go…"

"But…"

"Parker!" Em said with alarm, jumping to her feet.

"Shit! Madam Pomfrey!"

Madam Pomfrey came bustling out from office.

"What the hell you guys?" Eliza asked confused, but she followed their horrified expressions to her body. The white sheet that had been covering her was beginning to bleed red.

"Out of my way! Out! Out!" Madam Pomfrey scattered Em and Parker. She flung back the sheet to find that Eliza's gown was soaking with the blood that was seeping from her wounds.

"What's happening?" Em asked fearfully from somewhere to the left.

Madam Pomfrey was too focused on Eliza to tell them to get out again. She was waving her wand over her body, the tip of her wand exuding different colors. "Whatever curse you took was a dark curse. Very dark! Your wounds aren't healing as quick as they should. Your scabs are all opening."

Eliza started to feel light headed. "Please…please I have to leave."

"You can't leave here you silly girl," Madam Pomfrey chided, reaching over to the nightstand for some towels. "You! Emlyn! Bring me a bowl of water, now!"

Emlyn hastened to obey as Madam Pomfrey turned a sharp eye to Parker.

"McKinnon, you need to leave now. I have to undress her."

"But-"

But Madam Pomfrey was already pulling a screen around Eliza's bed and Parker's last sight of her was Em starting to help her out of her gown.

—

Later that evening, Eliza lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. Em had stayed at her bedside.

"I'm not going to leave you, Eliza." She said after a long while of silence.

"Em…you can't miss Christmas with your family…"

"It's fine; I'll see them next Christmas."

"You don't know that."

Em was silent for a long moment. "Why would you say that…?"

Shame immediately overtook Eliza. What an awful thing that had been to say. Especially to her best friend, sitting here with her, sacrificing for her. And Eliza had just unleashed her bitterness on her.

"Em…I'm so sorry," she said softly. "Please forgive me…"

Em sighed and patted her hand. "I know."

"But what about Pattie?"

Em stiffened at that. She was quiet a moment before speaking. "It doesn't matter."

To Eliza's surprise, Em turned her head, hiding her face behind her bush of hair. Eliza's eyebrows drew together and a realization hit her. Her heart hit her stomach.

"Em….did something happen between you and Pattie?"

Em was quiet for a long moment. Slowly, she turned her face toward's Eliza. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were watery, but the sheer look of defiance on her face kept away the tears.

"She couldn't handle the fact that I want to be an auror. Said she couldn't handle me always being in danger. I told her we were all in danger but she wasn't having any of it. And I…I told her if she couldn't live with it then…well that's that isn't it."

Eliza could see Em fighting the tears. Slowly, you reached out and took Em's hand.

"Em…go write to her."

"There's nothing left to say."

"Please…please go write to her," Eliza squeezed her hand. It remained unsaid, but the meaning was clear.

_Please…save this. Because I couldn't._

Em sniffed, gave Eliza's hand a squeeze back and nodded. "I wouldn't know what to say."

"That you love her."

"I never told her I didn't."

"She thinks you did."

Em frowned. "So that's it? I love you?"

Eliza tried not to roll her eyes. "You know, and anything else that pops into your head."

Em gulped.

"Em, I'm going to sleep now. So get your butt up to the owlry and do whatever it is you guys do that makes you perfect for each other."

Em gave her a small smile at that. Giving Eliza a peck on the head, she wished her goodnight and made her way out of the infirmary.

Eliza sighed as Madam Pomfrey came over with a tray of potions.

"I'm sorry you can't go home to your family, Madam Pomfrey," Eliza said morosely as Madam Pomfrey redressed her wounds. They weren't looking much better; the scabs had started growing again but they were weak. Madam Pomfrey said she might be safe to start moving around without opening them in a day or two. She also said there would be fair amount of scarring.

Madam Pomfrey glanced to the girl. "Don't be ridiculous, Eliza. This is my job."

"That you'd be free from without me…"

This time, Madam Pomfrey did not look at her and only continued her work. "No; I'd be free from it without whoever did this to you. But did you stop to think that maybe I don't feel imprisoned by this?"

Eliza looked on, skeptical.

Finally, Madam Pomfrey finished and looked up to Eliza. Her face was soft. "We're Healers, Eliza. We feel right at home wherever we're helping someone."

Eliza couldn't help but smile at that. "I'm not a Healer yet."

Madam Pomfrey smiled then, a very rare one, and she patted Eliza's knee. "You are in the ways that matter, Dear."

—

"Ssh, you're going to wake her up!"

"I thought we wanted to wake her up? Bit creepy to just be staring at her."

"She needs to rest!"

Eliza groaned quietly, her eyelids twitching as the voices cut through her dream. She roused herself, blinking a few times to rid herself of sleep and sat up. She blinked to find five faces staring at her.

"What the hell!?" she pulled her covers over her torso.

"Good morning, sunshine!" Sirius grinned.

Despite being flustered, Eliza started smiling. "WHAT are you guys doing here?"

"It's Christmas!" James smiled.

"You guys…didn't have to come see me," Eliza said in a small voice because she thought she might cry.

"No one should be alone on Christmas," Lily said, sitting to her left in a chair. "Besides, I've been waiting to give you some news!"

"You've adopted Sirius!?" Eliza exclaimed.

Lily chuckled. She held up her left hand. "We're engaged!"

Eliza gave a high-pitched, girlie cheer and immediately reached for Lily's hand so she could examine the ring; a large diamond between two small emeralds all inlaid in white gold.

Parker whistled. "That's one big rock."

"You're telling me; cost me a fortune!" James said before catching Lily's glare. He rubbed the back of his neck. "Worth every penny."

"Nice save, Prongs," Sirius chuckled to himself. Em joined in from her spot on the mattress at Eliza's feet.

"Now," Lily clapped her hands once. "Presents!"

—

Two days after Christmas, Eliza was allowed to leave the infirmary under strict guidelines. She was not to over exert herself; not to get her scabs wet, drinks lots of water and several potions around the clock. But Eliza didn't mind if it meant she could spend the rest of her holiday out of the infirmary and out of Hogwarts.

She'd chosen to stay with the Potter's, as that had been her plan before the attack. It was a busy household with the Marauders coming in and out with their various shenanigans. Eliza even saw a few Order members visit.

They were wary about her at first, but James explained to them that upon her graduation, she too would be joining The Order. A small oral resume of her skills usually wiped out the last bit of doubt from their minds.

And that was probably her favorite part of the holiday. Actually getting to interact with the group she'd been working so hard to join. For it to be a real, tangible thing that she could touch and interact with. It rekindled her drive.

But, as was Eliza's curse, her night time hours remained hours of solemnness. She still grieved for the loss of her mother. And to be completely honest, she still grieved for Regulus. Seeing the snow made her think of him. She could still hear the Hogsmead bells ringing in Christmas as they'd finally kissed each other.

The second evening, there was a knock on her door. Eliza had already changed into pajamas and was attempting to lose her thoughts in one of her books.

"Come in," she said, waiting for Lily's red hair to appear.

But it was not Lily. Instead, Sirius Black came through her door, closing it behind him. His eyes saw Eliza curled up in her bed, a thin nightgown her only cover. "Oh! Uh…hi."

"Evening…" Eliza raised an eyebrow. "What can I help you with?"

Sirius didn't respond right away as his eyes had caught her cleavage. Eliza was more amused by this than anything. After all, Sirius Black was the king of flirting; but she didn't think Sirius had ever looked at her this way.

Finally, Sirius coughed as though something was tickling his throat. His eyes found Eliza's. "Well, sorry to disturb you…

Eliza gave him a friendly smile and patted the bedspread next to her. "You're not disturbing me. Come sit."

Almost awkwardly, he did but after thirty seconds his confidence came back and he seemed at ease with Eliza once more. "I just wanted to check up on you."

"Well that was…thoughtful. But I'm fine, Sirius."

He quirked a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "Are you?"

"Well…Madam Pomfrey did allow me to come here, didn't she?"

Sirius shook his head. "I'm not talking about that. I mean are you alright, here?"

Sirius pointed to her chest, just above her heart.

Eliza swallowed hard. "What do you mean?"

"I'm sure it's still hard for you not to be home for Christmas. You've got a lot of responsibility on your shoulders. And…oh, my brother, aka the previous love of your life, attacked you."

Eliza swallowed harder this time as she saw the flash of light that brought her to the ground. She glanced down to her lap. "He wasn't trying to hurt me…"

"He tried to hurt Parker. Which, by the way, would have been hurting you indirectly."

Eliza gave out a frustrated huff. "Well yeah, I'm still bothered he tried to attack Parker. They're my…or they were…I mean, Regulus used to be my best friend." She finished thickly.

Sirius said nothing but Eliza didn't fill in the silence. She didn't trust her voice not to break. There were already hot tears prickling at her face and she rubbed them angrily away with the palm of her hand.

"I'm….sorry, for everything my brother has put you through," Sirius said quietly.

Eliza shook her head. "Not your fault."

"Well…a little bit of it is. If I could have just protected him from all of the brainwash…he'd be here."

Eliza glanced to the elder Black and watched him. His face was pinched in sadness, his eyes not quite there. Perhaps reliving a memory.

"I really…especially for a while there…I really felt like he was going to choose you."

"You mean over the dark arts?" Eliza asked. Sirius nodded. "Why?"

This Eliza was very curious to know. What could she have done differently? What about her hadn't been enough?

"Well…I'd always tease him about you, as immature boys do, but he never paid me much mind. But then his fourth year I noticed your picture in his room. He had pictures of his Slytherin mates and his Quidditch team and such but your picture really caught me."

"Why?"

Sirius shrugged. "Because it was on his desk. Regulus never kept much on his desk; hated clutter. He usually only kept jars of ink and quills stored in the drawers. He had a small clock that sat on that desk and that was it. But one day I noticed your picture. It was a picture of the two of you. You were hugging him around the neck; looked like it might have been fall, and you were kissing him on the cheek. And I'm his brother; I could easily decipher his body language. Most people can't, but I can and he was just so pleased in that picture. And I don't know if this was intentional, but the sunlight from his window, as it went down, would hit the picture.

So then I started to watch you guys here and there. Started asking about you. You sounded amazing; a brilliant student, wanted to be a Healer, strong opposition of the resistance. I thought, this was exactly the kind of influence he needed.

And then you guys started dating. I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone more in love with a person."

"Except for how James looks at you."

Sirius nodded. "Obviously. But he would look at you, even if he was just glancing at you, like you held the world. Your fifth year I really really thought he was going to come to our side."

Eliza looked sadly down at her lap. "But he didn't."

"Well I know that over break after fifth year, my parents started sending him on all kinds of social calls. And he was spending time with a lot of people who were empathetic to Voldemort's cause. Definitely not the impression I wanted on him. And at home, as you can imagine, he isolates. I hadn't been around so I have no idea if Regulus ever told our mother about you but if he did…well…I wouldn't have wanted to be a fly on that wall. I think it was the pressure; truly. And then going back to school and his Slytherin buddies are all becoming Death Eaters…what could he do? I think he gave in, met up with them over Christmas break and…took the plunge."

Eliza's eyes were filled with tears. "Do you really think he believes in everything that Dark Mark represents?"

Sirius let out a low breath of air, running his fingers through his shaggy locks. "I don't know. I don't think so completely. I'm sure he thinks a world where wizards rule is appealing to him. But I'm not sure he really believes everything our parents throw at him. I don't think he can have, if he loved you."

"So that's it then? You think in the end it was peer pressure?" An anger rose up inside of her. The voice in her mind started yelling insults at Regulus. How immature was he that he couldn't handle a little peer pressure?

"It's not that simple, E. His friends would have started pinning him as opposition. And they had full access to Voldemort and his followers. Regulus might have died if he didn't join him. Now granted, I don't know that that is why he did, but it's a possibility that might make it a little easier to digest."

Eliza watch him sadly. "I miss him."

Sirius smiled back with grief and regret. "I do too."

"Hey…" Eliza said after a long moment of silence.

"Hm?"

"What was Regulus' favorite treat?"

Sirius looked at her strangely before screwing his face in concentration to remember. "I think I always remember him being a fan of acid pops when we were younger."

"Acid pops? Oh, I definitely never bought him one of those."

Sirius waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it; I think he changed his mind. I remember one Christmas, Mother gave him a whole box of acid pops. When he didn't get excited my mother said 'I thought they were your favorite' and Regulus just shrugged and said he liked cauldron cakes more now."

Tears gushed down Eliza's face and she brought her hands to her mouth to keep from crying aloud. Sirius looked concerned that his little story had sent her into such grief.

"Now I really miss him," she managed to choke out, letting the tears fall where they may.

"That's okay," Sirius said quietly, reaching for Eliza's hand.

She looked to him, his face blurred by the tears. "Is it?"

Sirius squeezed her hand. "Always."

**Author's note:**

**Woah! So this is probably the most dramatic my story has gotten. Not really sure what made me write the scene in the corridor, but when I'd finished, I knew it needed to stay. Even if it was dramatic.**

**So what do we think about Eliza? Poor Eliza, trying to be strong and brave and rise to the challenge, but Regulus still seems to be at the back of her mind, doesn't he?**

**Thank you for all of your support. Reviews are receiving fluffy penguin socks for Xmas.**


	18. Together

**18\. Together**

Eliza flung open the doors to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey would have had a fit had she been paying attention, but she was busy tending to a member of the Slytherin team, his teammates surrounding his bed. Eliza vaguely noticed a flash of silver eyes in her direction but she hardly noticed. She rushed past the Slytherin team members to a bed on the left side of the room.

"Parker!" She said breathlessly, taking a seat on the edge of his bed.

Parker smiled at her, looking a little dazed. There was bright red blood all over his face and Quidditch robes. Eliza looked over to the nightstand beside his bed. There were supplies sitting atop it but Madam Pomfrey must have gotten busy with the Slytherin team.

"Auguamenti," Eliza murmured, pointing her wand at the bowl and it filled with water. She then scanned the bottles on the table, found an antiseptic-type solution and poured a bit into the water. Taking a rag, she began to clean the blood off of Parker.

"How do I look?" Parker asked weakly.

"Handsome," Eliza replied with a smile, gently wiping at his forehead.

Parker gave a weak smile. "Madam Pomfrey fixed my nose. Part of my skull was caved in but she fixed that too. She said the brain damage wouldn't be too permanent."

"Oh hush," Eliza scolded but Parker laughed at his own joke. She could see where his skull had been broken due to the horrific bruise forming on his skin. She frowned. "She's not letting you sleep tonight is she?"

But Parker looked like that's all he was going to do. His eyelids kept drooping, as much as he was trying to fight it.

Eliza sighed, pushing back some blonde bangs. "If Madam Pomfrey fixed you enough that a concussion won't hurt you, you should sleep."

Parker looked up into Eliza's face and tiredly asked, "Will you stay with me?"

Eliza smiled, taking one of his hands and holding it in her lap. "Of course."

—

Their friends came to visit as soon as Madam Pomfrey allowed. Eliza may be her apprentice but she didn't get special favors. Not that she had asked. She was fully aware that Parker needed his rest. Not that he was resting well. Eliza was waking him up briefly every hour to make sure he was still coherent. When they arrived, Parker was sleeping.

"How's he doing?" Em asked, taking the side of the bed unoccupied by Eliza.

"He took a pretty nasty blow," Eliza frowned, glancing down at Parker.

"They did this to him on purpose. Did you see them knock those bludgers at him?" Em seethed.

"Do you think it was part of the game, or do you think they're up to their old tricks?" Arthur asked quietly, glancing around to make sure Madam Pomfrey wasn't lurking nearby.

"Probably both," Eliza said. "I know I'm supposed to do no harm, but I can't say I'm sad to see you guys paid them back in kind."

The group glanced to the other side of the room where a Slytherin player was laying behind some curtains.

"They've been quiet since term started; I'm sure they were itching to get someone," Jack said.

"Do you think Dumbledore is the reason they've been laying low?" Midge mused. "The attacks had stopped well before break."

"I had considered it," Eliza nodded. "It could easily also been because we figured out what they were doing it with the imperius curse."

"I think we should stay aware," Jack chimed in. "They might have a different scheme planned."

"I agree. But I'm worried they might not attack us anymore…" Em said.

"And target our more unsuspecting peers?" Midge said in a small voice.

"It's far too likely for us to ignore," Eliza agreed. "I'll make sure to mention it at the next prefect's meeting."

"With the Slytherin prefects in attendance?"

"Especially with them present. I want them to know that we're on to them," Eliza said defiantly.

—

Eliza sat on the crisp white sheets of a hospital bed beside Emma Stone. She was a third year Gryffindor, come to the hospital wing for a reason all too common. She'd attempted to manage her acne with a potion of her own making…and it had not gone well.

Eliza finished covering the girl's dotted faced with a purple paste, before leaning back and waiting for it to work.

"Guess I won't be trying that again," Emma sighed.

"At least you didn't try to charm them off; I've seen that and it's not pretty."

Emma tried a smile.

Eliza smiled kindly at her. "You shouldn't be ashamed of a little acne, Emma. We all have it, you know. It doesn't stay forever."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Easy for you to say. Your skin is flawless."

Eliza smiled wryly and shook her head. "Look, if you really want to hide it, try make up."

"Make up?" The girl blinked.

"I think sometimes we're a little blinded by our magic. We're so reliant on it that sometimes we forget there's even simpler solutions to our problems."

Emma watched Eliza with her mouth open for a long minute before she let out a curse. "How could I forget about make up?"

Eliza chuckled. "Like I said; it's our downfall. So no more potions, yeah?"

Emma smiled and nodded her ascent. Eliza took her wand and began to remove the paste and extra acne from her face. She had just finished, and Emma was skipping out of the room with thanks, when another young student walked into the infirmary. She only looked to be about twelve, and she looked around herself uncertainly.

"Good morning," Eliza greeted, moving to meet the girl. "I'm Eliza; Madam Pomfrey's apprentice. What's your name?"

"Esme," said the girl.

"What brings you in today?"

"I have this burning pain on the back of my neck," she frowned. "It's hurting really bad but my friends said they don't see anything.

Eliza moved behind the girl. Esme's golden hair was tied high up on her head so there was barely a reason to move any aside to get a good look at the back of her neck. Her friends had been right; there was nothing.

"Does it itch?" Eliza asked, peering closely to look for signs of a bite.

"No; it just burns. Really bad."

Eliza took out her wand, performing a basic revelio charm Healers used in their practice. As she did this, waving it across the girl's neck, something flashed back at her. She almost dropped her wand in shock; at which point the flash disappeared.

Eliza's throat felt dry. "Stay right here, Esme."

Before the girl could respond, Eliza scurried to Madam Pomfrey's office, barely knocking before throwing open the door.

"Eliza," Madam Pomfrey tsked, appearing more annoyed than alarmed.

"I'm sorry, Madam Pomfrey, but you have to come right away."

Noticing the look on Eliza's face, Madam Pomfrey quickly followed her out and back to Esme. Eliza performed the spell again and Madam Pomfrey's hand jumped to her mouth.

_Mudblood_ flashed in red when revealed, but disappeared shortly after.

At this point, Esme was shifting uneasily. "Is something really wrong? What it is?"

"Eliza, I will deal with this; I want you to find Professor Dumbledore."

"Yes ma'am," Eliza said and hurried out the door.

—

By the time Dumbledore swept into the infirmary, Eliza at his heels, Esme was sitting atop a bed. Her hands were wringing in her lap; but she didn't appear to be in pain anymore.

When Dumbledore reached the poor girl, he conjured a chair so he could sit opposite her. "I believe Madam Pomfrey has discussed what was causing your neck pain?"

Esme nodded and her eyes welled with tears.

"Do you know who would have done it?"

She shook her head. "I didn't even know I'd been cursed."

"You didn't see anyone watching you? You haven't conversed with someone you normally don't?"

Again, Esme shook her head. Instead, her watery eyes found Eliza. "It won't be on me forever…will it?"

Eliza's heart ached for the girl. "No Esme, it's gone."

She nodded. "May I go back to my dorm now?"

Professor Dumbledore gently patted her knee and nodded.

"I'll escort her back," Eliza said; imagining the poor girl must be terrified. Esme smiled gratefully up at Eliza and hopped off the bed.

"Ravenclaw," Eliza said, glancing at the girl's uniform.

She nodded. "Do you know where it is?"

"Vaguely," she said, remembering Matt. "But you'll have to lead the way."

She did so. As it was the middle of the day, most everyone was in class yet. Most of their journey was quiet, and Esme looked deep in thought.

"We had class with the Slytherins," Esme said, breaking the silence.

"What?"

"When my neck started hurting, we were in Charms. We have that with the Slytherins," Esme looked up at Eliza.

Eliza frowned. So a Slytherin had quietly hexed her in class. A young student too; being endoctorined?

"Do you think they'll attack more of us?" Esme asked. "Muggle-borns I mean."

Eliza sighed. "I wish I could tell you no; but I'm sure you won't be the last."

Esme frowned. She thought for a moment. "Do you think we can stop them?"

Eliza blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Do you think we can stop them from hurting someone else? Fight back?"

Eliza smiled down at the young girl. "Don't worry. Some of us are already fighting back."

Esme gazed up at her at awe then. Eliza captured that moment and held it tight to her as she dropped off Esme and returned to the infirmary to finish her hours.

However, as she lay in bed that night, that captured moment didn't keep that flash of light from December from crossing her vision. It was all she could see as she laid there in the dark, eyes closed.

Her mind wandered to Lily and what she had told her at the end of last term. Not to let Regulus ruin Hogwarts for her. But now the Slytherins were doing it. She tried to fight it. Tried to conjure up happy memories as she finally drifted off to sleep. But all she saw in her dreams were flashes of light and darkness.

—

The next day, as Eliza worked in the infirmary, Esme returned, a friend in tow. Esme told Eliza in a quiet, sad voice that her friend was having the same problem. Eliza appraised her with her wand and saw the flash of 'mudblood' on the back of her neck. Eliza immediately called for Madam Pomfrey, who tutted and performed the spell that had alleviated Esme yesterday. This time, Eliza learned how to do it.

As it turned out, this was a wise thing to do because for the rest of the week, students were coming to her complaining of their skin burning. The way they reacted when they were told what happened to them haunted her. And that moment when Esme looked up at her in awe…that began to haunt her too.

"We have to stop this!" Arthur said angrily Friday evening. None of them had any appetite and they'd retired to the Common Room to discuss the problem.

"I don't know what we _can_ do," Midge said dejectedly. "How can we stop something like this? We can't just sit around in classroom and watch for someone to attack."

"Why can't they just march all the Slytherins to Dumbledore and use veritaserum on the lot of them?" Parker tapped his foot angrily against the ground.

"Dumbledore would never do that," Eliza said.

"It's unethical," Jack nodded.

The seventh years sighed in defeat. Eliza sat back in her recliner, deep in thought while the rest of them bitterly trashed the Slytherin House. Midge wondered aloud if they'd be allowed to sit in on classes and observe.

Jack shook his head. "No way would the professors go for it. For one; way too many classes to observe. Two, remember what was said about 'vigilante work'? And three, we can't just go around accusing Slytherins without proof."

"But we _know_ it's them," Midge said frustrated.

"Unless they're using the imperious curse again," Arther said.

Parker shook his head. "I doubt it. It's too risky. Everyone knows to watch out for that now. The professors would know."

Midge threw up her arms in frustration.

"I have an idea."

All heads turned to Eliza. She was sitting straight up in her seat, a look of dawning on her face.

"I have an idea," she said again, this time with excitement. "What about a repelling charm?"

"What?"

"Listen…what if he placed a repelling charm on all the students that aren't Slytherin? And what if we can find a way to make it backfire!? Then they couldn't harm the students and the perpetrator would have the evidence on his own skin!"

Em frowned. "Is there such a charm?"

"I don't know," Eliza shook her head. "But I can find out! And if nothing else, I might be able to create one!"

Parker smirked. "Well if anyone can do it, it's you, E."

"Would it last long enough?" Jack asked.

"All we need is one time. We catch them once and it's over," Eliza got to her feet, headed for the tunnel.

"Where are you going?" Midge asked.

"To the library of course!" And then she disappeared.

—

Eliza walked into the infirmary for her last time as part of her apprenticeship. She took in the brightly lit room, the smell of aseptic, and she smiled.

Their plan had gone off without a hitch. Eliza had been able to merge a charm and hex together and taught the prefects. All students in their Houses were charmed. The very next day, it was a first year Hufflepuff that was targeted.

According to her report, there was a scream in the middle of class. Heads jerked to see a Slytherin boy screaming and clutching his forehead. Professor Flitwick had hurried over, pulled away the boy's hands with much force to find '_mudblood_' etched into his forehead.

And so the attacks had stopped. Eliza did not know the extent of punishment that had been done. If the boy had even been punished. If he had ratted anyone out, if they'd been punished. No one knew a thing. However, the professors were very vocal about finding out who had invented the counter curse. Despite the good it had done, it seemed Jack had been correct: vigilante work was not appreciated at Hogwarts.

Eliza had been more than willing to take the wrap. She would sit were her head held high, knowing that she had done _good_. But as it turned out, she never got the chance. Apparently most inquiries were made before they spoke to Eliza. Everyone had feigned ignorance and so, by the time they sat Eliza down, she decided to take their lead and feigned ignorance as well. There was nothing they could do. But Eliza swore she saw McGonagall's eyes gleaming at her whenever they passed.

—

"I can't believe in two more weeks we'll leave Hogwarts forever," Midge mused, staring up at the puffy white clouds.

"Doesn't quite seem real, does it?" Parker said, lying beside Eliza on the grass.

The rest of them shook their heads.

"Well I have an idea!" Em flipped over onto her stomach. "This is the last chance to do what we've always wanted to!"

"And that would be?" Jack prompted. Em's face went blank.

"Well…" Eliza piped up after a minute. "I've never gotten to play Quidditch on the field. Like a game, not practice."

Parker and Em beamed, glancing at each other. "Well that can be arranged."

"I've always wanted to play tag on the moving stair cases!" Midge said excitedly.

"That's sounds dangerous," Arthur quirked an eyebrow.

"I know!" She squealed, making everyone laugh.

"I've never been to the restricted section of the library," Jack chimed in.

"I've always wanted to sneak into the Forbidden Forest," Parker announced.

"That's against the rules," Em reminded him, eyebrows high.

"Yeah well…it's about time I've broken some."

"Like you already haven't," Eliza rolled her eyes.

"What if you get caught?" Midge asked.

Parker rolled his eyes. "What are they going to do, put me in detention?"

Eliza stifled a giggle. "They probably would! Can you imagine? Parker McKinnon, Head Boy, captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, getting detention his last week of school?"

"A story to tell the kids," Em said slyly.

"Let's do it!" Midge said, her eyes bright. "Let's do it all!"

—

"Arthur, are you going to be okay?" Midge asked in concern, touching his forehead.

"Of course, your majesty," he smiled with a dazed look in his eye.

"I think he's got a concussion," Eliza grimaced, mopping the boys forehead with a washcloth.

"I think we'll be safer off in the Forest," Jack shook his head.

"I didn't think he'd actually make a jump for it," Midge said meekly. Jack patted her comfortingly on the arm.

—

"Alright! You did it girl!" Em cheered as Eliza threw the quaffle through the goal post.

"I went easy on her," Parker huffed.

"Sure you did," Em rolled her eyes. "Hey guys, did you see-Where the hell did they go?"

Em, Parker and Eliza glanced down to see Midge and Jack hauling Arthur off his broom, a gush of blood dripping from his face.

—

"Okay, I think we're done having fun or Arthur might not graduate," Em said as they watched Arthur nurse his bloody nose in the Common Room.

"I'm sorry guys…" he said, glancing down in shame.

"Don't be," Em waved off his comment. "You're just accident prone. Some people are."

"Great," he rolled his eyes.

Eliza sat down beside him and gave him a squeeze. "Don't worry. You'll probably get along just fine once you stop hanging out with us."

He grinned at that.

—

Two nights later, on the eve of their graduation, Eliza found herself climbing the stairs to the Astronomy Tower. She was only mildly surprised to find Parker was already there. He was leaning against the railing, staring out across the lawns.

"Getting one last view?" Eliza asked, coming up next to him.

Parker was smiling. "It's a beautiful place. I'm going to miss it."

"Me too." They watched a rabbit scurry across the grass. "I'm sorry we couldn't risk the Forbidden Forest."

"Bah, I was half joking about that."

"So there wasn't anything else you wanted to experience before you left Hogwarts?"

Parker looked up at the stars for a long moment before he turned to Eliza. "I've spent seven years in the company of the greatest people I will ever meet. I got to be a captain for the sport I love. I learned extraordinary things. More than anything, I met the girl of my dreams here. What more could I need?"

Eliza was blushing. "Parker…"

"I don't know what the future holds for us out there Eliza…with this war…it's a bit daunting. But I'm not worried, because of you. You keep me grounded, and strong…you make me feel like every moment is precious."

"Seriously…have you been reading my books?"

Parker laughed but he reached for her hands. He looked down at her with the bottomless green eyes and he smiled. "I don't know what the future holds…but I want to find out together…with you."

Eliza's searched his face for a long moment. For a second, Regulus' name popped in her head and she banished it with horror. Before her was Parker. Her rock through everything. Her strength. Her protector. She remembered the sweet kisses they'd shared, the peace that came with being around him. She dawned on the words that he had said, just for her.

Smiling, you reached up on her toes, planting a kiss on Parker's lips. Before she pulled away, she whispered against them, "Together."

**Author's Note:**

**A short chapter but it simply could not go with last chapter. So it's the end of Hogwarts for our favorite Hufflepuffs! What comes next? I've gotten some feedback that some people aren't as enthusiastic with ParkerXEliza as I am (haha). That's okay! Eliza has decided to move on with her future with Parker; but can she? Well...this is a Regulus story after all.**

**Now that we're winding down to the last couple of chapters, I'd like to make an announcement. Once the story had ended, I will be posting a bonus chapter. This chapter will contain author's notes, information about Eliza that I couldn't find a way to fit into the story (ever wonder what her boggart is?), scenes from the future and scenes rewritten in Regulus' POV. If you have any questions you would like answered, or a scene you would like to see, I invite you to review or message me with them and I'll fit them in!**

**Thank you all for the reviews and I hope you'll add a few this chapter! I love to hear your thoughts and opinions! Until next week my lovelies! XO.**


	19. A Double Life

**19\. A Double Life**

"I don't know how many times I have to tell you this Mr. Boot, but we can't correctly treat you unless you tell me what it is that bit you!" Eliza exasperated.

She was working on the first floor that day; creature-induced injuries. Mr. Boot certainly belonged here as it was obvious the chunk missing out of his left leg had been very creature-induced indeed. But he was refusing to admit what had taken that chunk. Eliza had just finished attempting to clean the wound for the second time that day, but it was still smelling foul and green pus kept oozing from the muscle despite Eliza's attempts to clear it out.

Still, Mr. Boot said nothing and looked down to his lap. Eliza sighed and rewrapped the wound, knowing full well she'd have to clean it out again and change the then saturated dressing within the next few hours.

Getting to her feet, she stuck her wand through the knot of hair at the base of her neck. She rubbed her forehead with the back of her hand and moved across the room to wash her hands. It was here that Healer Rackharrow met her.

"Any luck with bed three?" He asked, slipping a vial of red potion into a pocket of his lime green robes.

"None," Eliza rolled her eyes. "If you're set here, I'm going to head to the lounge and do some research."

Healer Rackharrow nodded his head. "I'll be fine here. Slow day. Though I believe they're floating me upstairs when Pye gets here."

"Short-staffed again?"

Rackharrow sighed. "Good Healers are hard to find. Meet me up on fourth when you've finished with three will you? If it's not the end of your shift by then. There's some interesting cases up there I'd like to show you."

Eliza nodded and headed to the Healer's lounge. It was a large room equipped with cots, a kitchen and a decent library. She skimmed through the titles, grabbing a few books she thought might hold her answer and moved to a plushy armchair in the corner. As she opened _The Big Book of Bites, Scratches and Enstranglements_ she couldn't help but wonder if a quick owl to Professor Grubby-Plank might answer her questions for her.

"Whatcha working on today?" Came a voice to her left two hours into her reading.

Eliza glanced up to find Matilda smiling down at her. She was a young witch, just a year ahead of Eliza in her Healer training. She had in her hands two cups of coffee, one of which she handed to Eliza.

Eliza sighed. "_Thank you_. I have a man with half of his left calf missing. No matter how many times I clean out the wound, his muscles keep oozing some kind of green pus and the _smell_," Eliza wrinkled her nose. "Can't tell if it's rot or poison."

Matilda frowned. "Probably poison. He won't tell you what got him?"

Eliza shook her head. "Won't say a word. He came in early this morning and there's been no improvement. He's not caught a fever though so that's something. I'm trying to figure out what illegal creature he was handling."

Matilda smiled. "Smart girl. Well I wish I could help, but nothing comes to mind. Whatever it is, I hope there's a cure."

"He'd best hope so, unless he wants to become like Mr. Murk . You know he still comes in every other month and we keep having to hack off more and more of his leg."

"Keeps us in business," Matilda winked and Eliza laughed.

"Where are you today?"

"Third floor," she sighed in obvious disappointment. "Makes me wish I'd paid more attention in Herbology."

"It'd help if there were more Herbologists that wanted to work in medicine."

"You're right on that. They'd rather spend all day outside in the mud."

Eliza smiled at that. "Well good luck. Let me know if you see anything interesting, will you?"

She nodded. "Let me know what tried to eat our dear gentleman."

As Matilda left the room, Eliza drained her coffee and returned to her research. An hour later she returned to her patient with a few theories in mind, but they all vanished when she laid her eyes on her patient.

"Mr. Boot!" She exclaimed as she found her patient laying flat on his back, twitching and muttering something about a lost wager. "Mr. Boot!"

Mr. Boot did not respond but he muttered something to himself and let out a high-pitched laugh.

_Delirium_? Eliza wondered as she hurried over. It was then Eliza noticed that rashes had appeared all across the man's skin, green in color. She laid her hand against his forehead and pulled back at its alarmingly warm temperature. A page in _Fantastic Beasts _flashed through her mind.

"Pye!" Eliza called out and a short wizard came bustling over.

"What is it?" He asked before he noticed Mr. Boot.

"I think it was a mackled malaclaw!" Eliza said in a hurried voice. "I need you to bring his fever down while I go whip up a potion."

The older man nodded, bringing out his wand as Eliza rushed from the room. She headed to their apothecary, darting across the room to grab the ingredients she needed.

An hour later Mr. Boot lay peaceful in his bed, sleeping, an empty potion bottle on his nightstand. Eliza unwrapped his leg and cleaned it out again, using a small vial of the same potion as her antiseptic. When she'd finished, the wound remained clear. She gently pushed down on the muscle and a bit of green ooze leaked out but it was less viscous and Eliza cleaned it away and rewrapped the wound.

"Good work, Eliza!" Pye praised over her shoulder. "Mackled malaclaw…How did we not see it before?"

"I don't think he ate it," Eliza sighed, rubbing at her face. "Then the fever and the rash would have appeared right away. I had a case my first week here. I think he got bit trying to capture one and I think it took some time for the venom to pass from his leg to his system."

"Why on worth would he try to wrangle one of those?" Pye sighed, shaking his head. But then he turned a broad smile to Eliza. "You've done amazing work here today, Eliza! You're a natural at this you know!"

Eliza blushed. "Thank you, Sir."

"Why don't you head home now? I dare say it's well past your shift," Pye said, squinting at his watch.

Eliza bid him goodnight and washed up. She made her way to the lounge, which took her through the reception hall. Here, she spotted a familiar face.

"Parker!" She smiled, greeting him. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought we might get a bite to eat," he smiled at her. "If you're hungry?"

"Starved," Eliza admitted. "Let me just change out of these robes," she said, eyeing Parker's muggle clothing.

She hurried to the lounge, changed out of her clothes and stuffed them in her bag, then went to meet Parker.

They left through the visitor's entrance, into the cool weather of the busy London street.

"Hungry for anything in particular?" Parker asked as they moved past groups of Muggles headed in the opposite direction.

"Not really; what did you have in mind?"

"There's a nice pub just a few blocks from here."

They headed there and got a booth in the back of the room. After the waiter took their order, Parker leaned back in his seat.

"So how goes training?"

Eliza smiled. "Never a dull day! I'm learning so much!"

Parker noted the happiness in her face. "You've definitely found your calling."

Eliza nodded. "What about auror training? Are they putting you through the paces?"

Parker groaned. "You have no idea! Poisons and antidotes are kicking my arse."

"Parker! How shameful. You know me and _that's_ what you're struggling with?"

"Well it's not like we're practicing _that_ when we get together," he raised a brow at her and winked.

Eliza blushed but couldn't stop the grin on her face. "Fair enough. And how is Em doing?"

Parker chuckled. "She's great, Eliza, she is. But the poor dear is having a _bit_ of trouble with concealment and disguise. Concealment, no problem but disguise…not her fortay."

"It's the wild mass of red hair isn't it?"

"The same. She can charm it to look different but it only lasts an hour and those red curls start peaking through."

Eliza couldn't help but chuckle. "Poor Em. Has she consulted Midge? I have a feeling she might have a decent answer."

Parker looked thoughtful. "Maybe we should send her an owl. Em has been thinking of taking drastic measures and just shaving it all off."

Eliza laughed. "Somehow I feel like Pattie wouldn't appreciate it."

"She definitely wouldn't," Parker grinned. "She was there when Em suggested it. Pattie told her she'd refused to go out in public with her unless she wanted to wear a "goddamn wig"."

Eliza snorted.

"Have you heard from Midge lately?" Parker asked, taking a sip of his cocktail.

Eliza swirled hers with the tiny straw she'd been given. "Not for a few weeks. She's in Egypt right now. Loving it of course, but with little free time."

"I hope she finds some. I know Jack was talking about taking a week from work and surprising her."

"Oh she would love that." Eliza sighed. She missed her friends. Midge and Arthur were often out of the country due to their professions. Em and Parker she saw frequently as they had joined her in The Order. Jack would pop by from time to time, as The Order was using him as their inside man for any rumors popping up from the Ministry.

"Oh! I have news!" Eliza suddenly remembered.

"Good news I hope?"

"The best," she grinned. "Lily is pregnant!"

"Are you serious!" Parker sputtered on his drink.

"She's due in July!"

"Wow, that certainly didn't take long."

"I think it's the war," Eliza frowned. "Everyone wants to live their lives to the fullest; never know when it's going to be snuffed out. Frank and Alice are expecting too. I think they're due around the same time."

Parker was frowning. "I do hope they plan on taking it easy then."

"Well not James," Eliza rolled her eyes. "In fact, I'm supposed to drop by Headquarters tonight. There's been a rumor an attack might be happening. Jack was supposed to follow up on the lead and report back to us. If the rumor is true, we're out on the mission."

Parker's eyes shone with worry. "Then I should go with you."

"No," Eliza said, fixing him with a straight stare. "I'll be with Sirius and James; we'll be fine. You have an important examination tomorrow."

Parker sighed and reached his hands across the table to take Eliza's. "Just be careful."

"I'm always careful," Eliza smiled, trying to to reassure him. Still, his face looked troubled. "No more talk of The Order okay? Let's eat our meal in peace before I have to go."

—

Nothing ever prepared her for the sight of the green light that shown down from the sky. She'd seen it plenty of times during her work with The Order. It was burned into the back of her eyelids when she slept at night. Still, every time she saw it, it turned the blood in her veins to ice.

"We're too late!" Eliza said in anguish, the awful image reflecting in her eyes. They'd rushed out of Headquarters the minute Jack arrived with his news; but it seemed the Death Eaters were one step ahead of them.

"We can't think like that," James said seriously, his face hardened. "Let's go."

Before they would have sneaked up on the residence; now there was no time. Eliza, James and Sirius rushed up to the house. Sirius blasted the door open and they raced inside.

The entryway led directly into the living room. Four hooded figures stood inside, their black cloaks a dark stain on the brightly painted room. A figure laid on the floor at their feet. Another hunched in the corner.

"Stupefy!" Sirius and James shouted as the cloaked figures whipped around to meet them. James' curse hit the Death Eater square in the chest and he flew backwards. The Death Eater Sirius aimed for deflected just in time and sent their own curse back at Sirius.

"Protego!" Eliza yelled, deflecting the curse away.

It was three on three. Eliza's wand was a blur as she deflected and aimed. A red curse shot past her defense, ripping open her sleeve and sending a hot white pain shooting up her arm. The adrenaline numbed this and Eliza sent her own curse at the attacker, hitting him in the face and sending him to his knees.

The urge to check the victims was overwhelming, but Eliza turned her attention to the two remaining Death Eaters. They were on the defensive, however, as James and Sirius overpowered them. Deciding they were fairing fine on their own, Eliza turned her attention to the figure on the ground. There was a wand clutched in hand. Muggle-born? Blood traitor?

Eliza dropped to her knees, checking wrist and carotid for a pulse. None was found. The familiar sour feeling erupted in her gut. She pushed it down and turned to the person cowering in the corner. It was a girl who looked no older than fifteen. Her pale face was shining with tears. Her wand was in her hand but it was shaking so badly it would be of no use to anyone.

The noise of glass shattering cut through the air. Eliza spun around, wand at the ready. Sirius and James were battling a single Death Eater, a talented one to be battling both men at once. But another Death Eater that had been previous dispatched was getting to their feet. They'd barely regained their footing when Eliza shot a spell at them. They ducked but the spell nicked their face. The Death Eater fell back against the wall, knocking their mask off their face.

Eliza jumped to her feet. "Expelliarmus!"

The mask hit the floor as their wand soared through the air. But Eliza didn't catch it, she'd recoiled in horror.

Regulus didn't move from his place against the wall. He leaned there, his face reflecting the same horror fixed on Eliza's. Her wand was still raised, poised to attack, but it began to shake. Eliza's mind went blank.

"Eliza!"

Eliza's head jerked towards the sound of James' voice. He ducked out of the way of a green flash as Sirius moved into his place, hitting their opponent square in the chest with a flash of red. He flew back against Regulus as a dark stain started to spread against his chest behind his dark cloak.

"Eliza, what are you doing!?" Sirius glared but he faltered at the sight of Regulus.

For a moment, the world stood still. A sob from the corner of the room pulled everyone back to focus. Sirius fired a hex at Regulus but he ducked. The spell hit the wall, blasting a hole into the plaster. Regulus grabbed ahold of the Death Eater slouched against him, turned on the spot and disapparated with a loud _crack_.

Eliza couldn't breathe. Her chest was aching painfully. James hurried over to the girl they'd rescued and Eliza lost all of her strength. She lowered herself to the floor, the sound of James comforting the poor girl and Sirius tying up the Death Eaters playing out around her.

Finally, someone crouched in front of her.

"Eliza…"

The voice was so soft and tender that Eliza wouldn't have believed it came from Sirius if she had not raised her face to find his. His eyes were swirling with pain and concern. Eliza became aware that a tear was rolling unbidden down her cheek. Saying nothing, Sirius leaned forward and wrapped her in a hug.

—

"The girl's been taken to St. Mungo's. She's not hurt…physically anyway. She's under guard there until we can move her to a safe location," Fabian Prewett sighed, slumping into a wooden chair at the table. His shoulders drooped heavily, as though the weight of the world rested upon them.

Lily and James sat at the table as well, their hands clasped beneath the table top. Sirius leaned against a wall, arms folded over his chest.

"What of the Death Eaters?" James asked, referring to the two defeated and abandoned Death Eaters they'd been able to leave for authorities.

"Sitting in a cell," said Alastor Moody, limping into the room.

It was another murderer off the streets, but a solemn mood still hung about headquarters. A life had been lost that evening. James, Sirius and Eliza felt responsible for not arriving in time and a shot of firewhiskey had not been enough to douse the guilt.

"Eliza, we need to discuss your arrangements," Fabian said, swiveling in his seat to look at her.

Eliza had been standing in a darkened corner of the room, her arms crossed so tightly across her form it seemed unlikely anyone would be able to pry them away. Upon being addressed, she looked up, her face pale.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Your work for The Order isn't general knowledge," Moody said in his gravely voice, seating himself across from James. "It's no longer safe for you to work at Mungo's now that the Death Eaters know about your involvement."

"But-"

"We'll say that you're taking sabbatical," Moody continued. "You can stay working for The Order if you wish, but you can't operate in public anymore."

Words built up on her tongue, but she said nothing. She only pressed her lips into a firm line.

Fabian sighed, getting to his feet. He moved to the cupboard and grabbed the whiskey, refilling everyone's glass. Downing his in a single swig, Fabian bid the group a good evening and exited the room.

"I want the rest of you to lie low for the next few days; don't make yourselves an obvious target. We'll alert you when we've got another mission," Moody said before he, too, made his exit.

The room remained silent for minutes as the four remaining Order members attempted to numb their thoughts with alcohol.

"I know what you're thinking, Eliza," Sirius said softly.

Eliza slowly raised her eyes to find him on his feet, moving over to her. He looked sympathetic, but his lips were set in a firm line.

"You don't want to think Regulus would tell anyone about your involvement."

Eliza swallowed against her throat, her hand holding her glass was shaking. She clenched her teeth together, glancing away.

"He's not the person you knew anymore, Eliza. He's one of them. We can't risk your safety."

Eliza said nothing. She looked at no one. She squeezed her eyes shut to block out the world.

There was silence for a long moment, in which Eliza was sure Lily, Sirius and James were sharing a look. But no one said anything. Finally, the sounds of Lily's and James' chair sliding back signaled they were leaving and Eliza felt them move past her, one by one.

Eliza waited another long minute before opening her eyes. The room before her was empty. Finally, Eliza pushed her back against the wall and slid down it to the floor where she huddled into the corner and used her knees to hide her face from the world.

**Author's Note:**

**Just a reminder that I am working on the bonus chapter following the story's end. If you have anything you would like answered or would like to see, please contact me.**

**Reviews are ****_not_**** freezing your toes of during Trick or Treating.**


	20. War

**20\. War**

**TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter contains violence and detailed descriptions of the devastating effects of mental illnesses including but not limited to PTSD, depression, and psychosis. If you believe this may be too distressing for you, please avoid and contact me for a summary of the chapter.**

Eliza flipped the light switch in her foyer as she entered her home. For a moment, she stood there, without direction. A feeling she certainly wasn't used to.

She let her feet take her to her kitchen, to a cupboard where she grabbed a glass. She moved to another cupboard and withdrew a bottle of firewhiskey. She placed them both before her as she sat at her little table.

Eliza hadn't felt anything on her journey home. Now as she sat here, with only her firewhiskey for company, the emotions came. Anger, frustration, defeat. It felt like a hole in her chest. She wasn't allowed to work anymore.

She loved her job at St. Mungo's. She was good at it…._great_ even. She had felt a purpose there that she hadn't found anywhere else. Not even in The Order. And it had been taken from her. Years of work and education, all for naught. Gone. Like her mother.

Eliza quickly poured herself a glass and downed it. She felt the heat rush through her body, but it did nothing to banish the hole in her chest. She poured another. This she took with her into the living room.

She wandered to the mantelpiece and gazed upon the pictures there. Some were older, taken throughout her years at Hogwarts. Some were recent. There was one of her and Parker at a carnival; you could see the ferris wheel a lit with color in the background. A picture of James' and Lily's wedding. A postcard from Arthur, featuring him with some kind of beast; she'd forgotten the name of it.

There was a distinct absence of a certain person. The person currently responsible for the loss she'd just endured. Slowly, she moved away from the pictures and sat in her recliner. Her emotions raged within her. Anger. Anger over his decision to join the Death Eaters. To leave her and the life they could have had behind. Anger that he had taken what she was most passionate about.

Shame. That she hadn't seen the person he was to become. That she hadn't been enough. That she hadn't turned back that night to learn if he had truly meant to lose her.

Hatred. For Voldemort. For all the insolent witches and wizards who hung on his every word. To their inhumane belief that they were somehow _better_.

And then…sadness. Pure sadness. This was the emotion that seemed to reach out most of all. Eliza downed her whiskey, trying to dull it. How weak was she that _this_ was the emotion that should dominate.

The anger flared again. How dare he!? How dare he do this to them!? To _her_!? She had loved him. Adored him. Defended him. He had left her by choice!

Was he happy with what he'd done? Did he fall asleep undisturbed at night that a man had lost his life? That a daughter had lost her father?

The shame hit again, this time with images, clicking through her head like a slide show. Her and Regulus giggling in the library. Conjuring patronuses. Their first kiss. The times they'd made love. Once peaceful memories. Now shameful. Disgust crawled through. Had he'd made his decision the last time they'd lain together and shared their bodies and souls. Had he'd known he'd be a murderer then, when she laid out all of herself?

Something inside her snapped. She threw her empty glass away from her where is shattered against the floor, the pieces sparkling in the meager light. Her hands were in her hair, pulling, tugging, grasping. She was on her feet. Back and forth. Back and forth.

And then she was crying. Hot tears that cascaded down her face and down her front. And she screamed. She herself did not know if the tears were from anger, or frustration, or sadness, or shame, or hatred. But she screamed and she held to her head, wondering if it was possible that she might be going insane? Was it crazy to hope she could scream so loudly her heart would shatter? And then she'd be rid of the damn thing forever?

She finally collapsed on the floor, sobbing into her knees. She let out a heart-wrenching sob that made her believe she would surely perish in this grief. The images came at her all at once. The scenes blurred together. His face. His lips. His caresses. Her mother's smile. The scent of her perfume. Her gravestone. Her friends' faces came next; always in constant danger. When any day she could wake up to find that any one of them had been murdered.

All the fear and pain poured out of her, in sobs, in screams, in curses.

She wanted out of this life. She wanted out of this fight. There was no fight left in her.

She tilted her head back and sobbed. She made pleas to anything that could hear her. To make this stop. To make it go away. But no one listened.

By the early hours of the morning, she had no strength in her to scream. There were no tears left to shed. She laid curled in on herself, listening to the ticking of a nearby clock. Her heart was a dead weight in her chest. She focused on it. Focused on the darkness of it, and felt it take over her. It took away the pain. The grief. It left her only with her hatred.

She sat up. The dead weight came with her. And with it came resolve. She would _destroy_ them. She swore it.

Eliza rose. She did not feel like Eliza. She felt like Eliza was dead. And Eliza had once sworn her mother that if she went down, she was bringing them with her.

—

It was still dark as Eliza apparated onto the streets of Knockturn Alley. She had her intelligence within The Order of passing whereabouts of the Death Eaters. She blended into the shadows of the alleys, still as a shadow; watching.

It must have been three in the morning when she spotted two figures leaving The White Wyvern. By the way they stumbled, it was apparent they'd spent more than enough money in that pub to be enuberated.

The pair appeared to be arguing, but Eliza was too far away to hear what about. However, as one figure stepped into a dim streetlamp, she wasn't far enough away that she couldn't make out the face. Hot anger shot through her.

She watched the pair argue another five minutes before they parted from one another, headed in opposite directions. She remained still another minute before she took off at a brisk walk after the figure who ventured to the east. She followed him at least a mile before the man started taking glances behind himself, apparently paranoid. And very justly so, Eliza thought with a sly smirk. The man made to take a turn into a run down cottage but Eliza drew her wand from beneath her cloak and hit him in the back with a stunning curse. Glancing around herself, she finally stepped into the street and towards the man.

_"Wingardium leviosa."_

Eliza didn't need to travel far. Several blocks away was a deserted plot of land. A crumbling building with its roof caved in poked out beneath grass that had grown in abandonment. The grass was dead, due to the cooling weather and it crunched beneath her feet. This is where she dropped the man, in the middle of the rubble, with his face facing up at hers.

"Hello, Wilkes," she said conversationally.

Wilkes' face was stunned but his eyes were popping wildly out of his skull.

"Do you remember me?" She continued, standing over him and staring into his ugly face. "I believe you once referred to me as 'Regulus' whore'."

Even immobile, Wilkes' vocal cords were trying to scream, but his mouth wouldn't open.

Eliza tapped her wand against her chin. "Where were you headed Wilkes? Off to destroy another family? Orphan some children?"

Still the inhumane sound of a voice that couldn't get out.

"You are filth," Eliza spat venomously, dropping her conversational tone. "You take things Wilkes. Important things from people. Their hopes….their dreams…their lives. But now…I'm going to take something from you."

Eliza focused on nothing but the dead weight in her chest. Her mind had retreated somewhere. She raised her wand and pointed it at Wilkes.

_"Crucio."_

As it turned out, a bind spell buckles under the heavy weight of the cruciatus curse. Wilkes' body buckled and flailed, yet the screams still couldn't leave him. Still, Eliza heard them clear as day. Something in her chest tightened and it almost made Eliza gasp. Her humanity had chosen to reappear. The idea of it made Eliza even angrier.

"_Crucio_."

She was one with the darkness. It had her; and it made her powerful.

"_Crucio_."

Eliza's dead eyes watched Wilkes' body quiver in the throes of agony. Her mind tried to creep back on her but she forced it back, forcing forward the images of that poor girl shaking in a corner. To the dead man on the floor. To the image of her mother's gravestone. To Regulus, standing lost in the snow.

Eliza was shaking, for she could not contain this anger. It was new to her. But it made her feel strong. She was not the woman she'd been hours ago, hoping to wrench her own heart out.

"Do you want to know a secret, Wilkes? I've got this thing for heroes. Isn't that stupid? From little on I dreamt of loving one. Of being one. But you know what I've learned about heroes? There's nothing special about them. The only way they differ from us is that they always choose good. And you know what else? Heroes always seem to lose something. Or someone. Depends on how depressing the tale."

Wilkes' eyes were crazed. Maybe from fear. Maybe from pain. Eliza didn't care.

"And you know what else? This is something I've learned very, _very_ recently. I don't think I want to be a hero anymore."

Wilkes made one more attempt to scream before his throat open and scarlet blood pulsed out. And Eliza watched it until it finished.

—

Huddled in her black cloak, Eliza kneeled on the frosted ground. Beneath her hood, her eyes read her mother's name, so neatly printed in that granite. Her fingers traced the letters before she pulled them back. She looked down at her fingers, her hands. _Cursed_ hands.

The reality of what she had done rushed through her body. She started to gasp, too frequent, too shallow to actually feel as if she breathed. She felt cursed. And evil. And it threatened to consume her. She felt that dead weight growing; she thought it might burst through her chest.

"What have I done?" She whispered to herself. Her white hands were shaking as she stared down at them.

Do no harm. Do no harm. Do no harm.

The words chanted in her brain as the gasps came closer and closer. She felt lightheaded. Her vision was blurry, not just from hyperventilating, but from tears.

"What have I done!?" She sobbed and her voice echoed throughout the quiet cemetery.

She had done something evil. Was she really different from the men she'd fought last night? She had taken a life. Ruthlessly. She'd _tortured_ someone.

She quickly leaned away from her mother's plot and spilled bile onto the ground. Tears fell onto it.

She should turn herself in. She was a criminal. She was filth. Breathing heavily, she grasped for her wand. Tears streaming down her face, she held it to her own throat.

"Eliza!"

Her name shattered through her whirling mind. She tried to focus on it, but the world was swirling beneath her. The gasping started again.

"Eliza!"

Someone's hands were on her shoulders. She was turned and her vision was filled with a face. Dark hair. Silver eyes.

"Regulus…" she whispered.

"What? Eliza…it's me; Sirius. Eliza. Look at me."

Eliza tried. Her eyes screwed up in concentration.

"Bloody hell, Eliza. What's happened to you?"

Her world was still turning.

"Regulus…I've done a bad thing…" she muttered.

"Sirius. I'm Sirius." He was shaking her shoulders. "Eliza, wake up! Wake up, dammit!"

"Please…please let it end…" there were tears dripping down her cheeks.

"Eliza…"

There was silence for a long moment. Then she felt a tap against her head. A wand tip. She sighed deeply. It would all be over soon. She closed her eyes, and the darkness came.

—

_Tick. Tick. Tick_.

Eliza's eyelids twitched.

_Tick. Tick. Tick_.

Pain came to her then. She could feel her body aching.

_I'm alive_.

Although her eyes were closed, she saw colors. Flashes of light. Screaming. Crying.

Her head was pounding.

"Eliza…?"

Her name. The colors faded, replaced with blackness.

Slowly, her eyes opened. Her eyelids felt heavy but she blinked them. She was staring up at a ceiling. The room was darkened.

"Eliza…?"

She slowly turned her head. She was lying in bed. Her bed. Sitting beside her in a chair was Sirius Black.

"Sirius?" She whispered, not daring to speak louder. Her throat was aching, just like the rest of her.

She heard Sirius let out a deep sigh. "Thank god…you're with me."

"Sirius…I don't…" her head was pounding. "I don't understand."

He leaned in closer and his face was pale. There were dark circles beneath his eyes. His hair stood up at odd ends, indicating he'd been running his hands through it.

"Eliza…what the hell happened last night?" He asked.

"Last night…?" Her head was pounding.

Sirius swallowed and reached over to her nightstand. He grabbed a glass filled with liquid and pushed it into her hands. With no energy to question, or resist, he helped her bring it to her lips, over and over until the glass was empty.

They stayed there in silence for a long time. Slowly, the aches gave away and her mind seemed to clear. It was as though it'd been clouded with fog, and it was dissipating.

"Eliza…I found you last night at your mother's grave. You weren't…you weren't yourself. You kept calling me Regulus."

Light flashed in her mind and she held a hand to her head.

"Eliza. What happened last night?"

Suddenly, pictures came to her. A shattered glass against the floor. The darkness of Knockturn Alley. Wilkes' face.

Eliza shot up, breathing fast. Her body was growing hot and she began to sweat. She turned a look of terror on Sirius.

"Sirius…"

But she didn't have the words.

"You said you did something bad."

Eliza swallowed a lump in her throat and tears gushed from her eyes. She saw Wilkes' eyes suspended in terror. She leaned forward, wretching, but nothing came up. Her body dry heaved.

"Drink this, drink this," Sirius muttered urgently and he pushed another glass into her hands. But they were shaking. Again he helped her bring it to her lips and made her drink the whole potion.

Her head felt heavy. She turned to Sirius again, and opened her mouth, but the words did not come. Instead, she sobbed.

Sirius gently climbed into her bed and crushed her body against it.

"Eliza…" he murmured in her ear. "What has happened?"

And suddenly, it spilled from her. How she'd gone home. How'd she screamed. How she thought she was going crazy. Knockturn Alley. Wilkes.

When she finished, she sobbed, trying to curl into herself in fear that Sirius would cast her away in disgust. Instead, he held her tighter.

"Eliza…"

"I think I've gone crazy, Sirius," she blubbered. "I'm dangerous. I'm filthy!"

"Eliza." He pulled her back by her shoulders so he could look into her face. His eyes roamed over her before his eyes softened. She saw the look and sobbed harder.

Sirius adjusted them so he could rest against her headboard, bringing her with him. Absently, he stroked her hair. "This fucking war."

—

Eliza must have fallen back asleep because she found herself awakening again. This time it was to voices. They were muted. She cracked her eyes open to see her bedroom door cracked open; just a sliver of light from the hallway sneaking into the room.

"You found her then."

"She was at her mother's grave. She wasn't herself. She was…Parker…I think she was trying to kill herself."

There was silence. Eliza could imagine his stricken face.

"What the hell happened?" He asked.

Sirius told them about the mission; how they'd been too late, that Regulus had been there. How Eliza had been banned from working as a Healer. He told Parker that he had decided to check on her this morning, early, but she was not home. But he'd found her. "Thank god" he'd found her.

Eliza waited for Sirius to tell him the rest. How'd she'd hunted down a Death Eater. Tortured him until she finally killed him. But as the silence stretched on, she realized Sirius wasn't going to tell him.

"How is she?" Parker finally asked.

"When she first woke up…she still wasn't herself. I was able to get some Calming Draughts in her and then she fell back asleep. And that's where you found us."

"I should go to her."

"I'll go to Headquarters. Be… be careful with her, Parker. I think her psyche is a little fragile right now."

"Whose isn't?" Parker muttered bitterly. "It's a wonder we haven't all had a breakdown."

"Some of us have," Sirius said gravely and Eliza heard his footsteps departing.

Parker sighed before he pushed open the door. He did not flip on the light, but by the light of the hallway, he was able to see her staring back at him.

"Eliza…" he moved toward her, gently getting into bed with her.

She said nothing. She felt so numb.

Parker laid down beside her, encasing her in his arms. He began to stroke her hair. "It's going to be okay, Eliza. You're not crazy. You're not broken. You're a fighter, remember? You remember that, right?"

But Eliza didn't feel like she had any fight left in her.

"You need to rest."

And she did.

—

Over the next several days, Parker barely left her side. Eliza couldn't function properly. He had to help her shower, force food down her throat. Eliza felt like she was in a haze. Her body was too heavy for her. Her mind was fog. But she knew why it was there. To block out the pain.

Lily and James stopped by throughout the days. Sometimes Sirius would come. If Eliza was resting in her room, she could hear their quiet conversation out in the kitchen.

Post-traumatic stress disorder, Lily had said when she was explaining to Parker how Eliza was barely a robot.

"Can we save her?" He'd asked.

"She needs time to heal. And support."

It took time. Weeks. But by the time December had come around, Eliza was speaking again. Not much, and not often, but it was a start.

Lily spent a lot of time with her, as she was no longer going out on missions. Not dangerous ones anyway.

Finally, by Christmas time, Eliza was beginning to feel at least human again. She picked up her wand again. She started with simple house work, but it seemed to do wonders. With it in her hand again, she felt more in control.

Sirius would come over alone, and then they would talk. He was able to convince her that what she'd done had probably saved lives. That it might be one of them dead in his place. It didn't ease the guilt. He hadn't perished in a duel. She had hunted him, and exterminated him in a gruesome way. Eliza knew it would haunt her til her death, but she finally felt more like herself. She would visit the Potter's cottage. And finally, she made her way back to Headquarters. The guilt would never leave her. But it almost motivated her. She would help end this war before more lives were destroyed…on either side.

—

She went on her first mission back in early February. She'd been dispatched when back up had been requested by way of Patronus. She'd made it on scene. It was a bloodbath, but no one had been killed, not yet. The reinforcements were able to subdue the Death Eaters and Eliza prevented further death by Healing the wounded on both sides.

Her heart felt lighter than it had in months and she returned to Headquarters on orders to give report as the Death Eaters were taken care of.

Eliza apparated outside of Headquarters and hurried inside. She nearly sprinted to give the good news but she faltered as she passed through the doorway.

The smile slid from her face as she moved into their 'tactic' room. It was really the dining room of the house they used as Headquarters. The walls were made from stones but there was always a roaring fire keeping the walls warm and keeping heat within the room.

Several members were standing around the table, their eyes glued to maps or pieces of parchments or wanted posters. Several members were huddled in a corner, rapidly whispering to each other.

Fabian looked up from the table, his eyes finding Eliza's. "We heard your mission was a success."

She nodded, no longer feeling the elatedness that had come from her success. Instead her stomach began to quench from the obvious tension in the room.

"What's going on?" She asked, glancing around the room for someone who would give her an answer.

The group in the corner stopped whispering and glanced at Eliza mournfully. Her brows scrunched together in confusion before turning her attention back to Fabian. His face grew more and more gaunt the longer they kept up the resistance.

But it wasn't Fabian who spoke. It was Frank Longbottom, who was sitting at the table next to his wife. She was looking up at Eliza, her beautiful brown eyes flooded with misery.

"It's Parker…"

The blood chilled in her veins. "What about Parker?"

"He still hasn't returned from his mission…."

Parker had been dispatched a week ago. He'd left with a smile, promising he'd be back by Valentine's Day.

Eliza's voice sounded distant to herself. "He's not…"

"We haven't discovered a body," Frank sighed. "But we haven't found anything. Not a trail he would have left. He's just…vanished."

"Maybe he's hiding right now. Maybe it's not safe to return," Eliza said, her voice high-pitched with fear.

"Maybe," Alice said softly, but the sympathy in her eyes made her comment mean nothing.

Eliza felt her chin begin to shake and she whirled around and sprinted out of the room.

**Author's Note:**

**Phew.**

**So... This was a chapter that was never intended for the story line. It was written during a dark night of my own. And I wondered and wondered over this chapter. Should it be included? Did it seem..._right_? It was certainly out of character for Eliza, a friend pointed out. Indeed it is. And yet...our dear Eliza is at war, where she doesn't know whom to trust. Where she's lost everyone and everything that was most passionate to her. She had already had the signs of mental illness throughout her life.**

**I even postponed posting this chapter. Would my readers hate it? Would they be confused? Would they not see our hero anymore?**

**But then...heroes fall down too.**

**I welcome your thoughts and opinions on this dark chapter of Eliza's life.**

**There are two chapters left of our tale. I have mostly completed the bonus chapter; having exhausted what I could think of to include.**

**I hope you'll stay with me for the last three postings of A Thing for Heroes. To all my heroes: goodnight. XO.**


	21. An Unexpected Visitor

**21\. An Unexpected Visitor**

Eliza had been reading when she heard the knock on her front door. Lowering the book from her face, she glanced at the clock on the end table; it was awfully late to be paying a visit…

The knock came again. Rapt. Urgent.

Her first thought was Parker. A desperate hope soared in her chest but the reality that she'd been forced to live in urged caution.

Putting down the book, Eliza snatched up her wand and quietly got to her feet. She moved towards her front door cautiously. Muttering an incantation, a one-way peep hole appeared in the door, allowing Eliza to see who her visitor was. She started when she saw the angular cheek bones, the black hair.

All caution forgotten, Eliza flung open the door. It was a stupid thing to do. Especially to a known Death Eater. But it was _him_.

Standing on the threshold, Regulus raised his eyes to Eliza's. Immediately, Eliza noticed that he did not look the way he did in her memories. Gone was the confident, arrogant face she had known. His cheek bones were sharper and his eyes were filled with anxiety and there were dark crescents under his eyes as though he hadn't slept. His black hair was mussed, as though he had been raking his hands through it. And then, Eliza noticed that Regulus was holding something in his arms the size of a small child, wrapped in a beige blanket.

"Regulus…what-"

Regulus pushed into the entryway and Eliza stepped aside, letting him through and closed the door behind him. Regulus wandered into her sitting room, edgy and distracted. Bewildered, Eliza could not think of anything to say. Again, she went to ask about his sudden appearance when Regulus turned to face her.

"Eliza…I need your help."

Regulus glanced down hopelessly at the bundle in his arms. Tentatively, Eliza stepped forward as Regulus folded back part of the blanket, revealing the face of a house elf.

The house elf's eyes were twitching and its head was shaking. Its lips trembled.

"It's Kreacher," Regulus said quietly.

"What's wrong with him?" Eliza asked, moving forward and undoing the rest of the blanket to find that the house elf was trembling from his head to his toes.

Regulus was quiet for a long time as Eliza's instincts took over and she began to feel the creature's skin and check for pulses, which were weak and thready.

"He…drank something. I don't know what. He has been like this for nearly a day and he's not improving. Keeps talking nonsense."

It was a strange story with little explanation but Eliza hadn't the time to worry. She carefully took Kreacher from Regulus and laid him on the small sofa. She crouched before him and brought her wand to Kreacher's head, murmuring under her breath as she waved her wand above his head and face, then moving down the length of his quaking body.

"Can you help him?" Regulus asked as Eliza stood.

Eliza bit her lip, eyes ranking Kreacher as her mind flitted from one idea to the next.

"I'm not sure; I've never worked with a house elf before," she responded, distracted by her thoughts. She turned to Regulus. "Go lay down upstairs. I need some time and space to work."

Eliza moved past him and disappeared into another room, appearing a moment later with a small trunk. The gentle tinkling of glass from within the trunk told Regulus it was most likely an alchemist kit.

"Go," Eliza ordered with a strict look before pushing Regulus out of the room and closing the sliding door.

But Regulus did not lay down. How could he? He paced the hall for a while until exhaustion overtook him and he resigned himself to sitting on a small bench in the entryway.

A long time passed but Regulus could not say how long. But a window down the hall was beginning to let light in and Regulus knew it must have been hours as day was breaking. Finally, Eliza slid back the door. The room was dim behind her and she slid the door closed again, leaving just a crack. She looked tired and there was a stain on her shirt.

Regulus got to his feet, all of his fatigue forgotten. He eagerly searched her face, looking for a sign.

Eliza wandered towards him and took the seat he had just vacated. She rested the back of her head against the wall behind her but looked up at her old friend. "I think I have stabilized him. He is resting now. I will reevaluate him in a few hours."

Relief washed over Regulus' face, but his eyes were still deeply troubled. He attempted to peer through the crack at the little form on the sofa.

Eliza frowned, her mind racing despite how tired she now felt. Getting to her feet, she headed down the hall and into the kitchen. After a moment, Regulus followed, finding her at the counter pouring a bottle of amber liquid into two glasses. Silently, she handed one to Regulus before taking a seat at the table and taking a big sip from her own glass.

After a moment of hesitation, Regulus sat in the chair opposite hers. He raised his glass to his lips and downed half of its contents in one swig. Eliza watched carefully, waiting as Regulus put his glass down on the table.

"Why are you showing up at my doorstep in the middle of the night with a half-dead house elf?" Eliza asked.

Regulus traced the rim of his glass with a finger. "You're the only person I thought could help."

"I appreciate the confidence but why did you need my help? I don't know what he drank, Regulus, but it's like nothing I've ever seen before. There was very dark magic involved…"

Finally, Regulus raised his eyes to meet Eliza's. But he did not speak; not for a long moment. "I can't tell you. I don't understand it yet myself. I need to do some research."

And then he was on his feet, pacing around her kitchen. Eliza finished her drink but did not ask any further questions. She wanted to know more; wanted to know what had happened. But she knew she would get no answers.

After many moments, Regulus stopped pacing and look to Eliza. "You need to be vigilant. You need to protect yourself."

"I am protected. The best I can do anyway," Eliza said, also getting to her feet. Being in The Order, she was constantly under threat. Her house had the best enchantments she could think of as well as enchantments The Order had put into place.

"Stay hidden; don't leave your house," Regulus said seriously and then he turned to leave the room.

"Wait!" Eliza hurried after him into the hallway. "Where are you going?"

Regulus stopped and peered over his shoulder. "Like I said…I need to do some research."

"What about Kreacher?" Eliza glanced over to the sitting room.

Regulus seemed to think about it a moment before he answered. "Send me a patronus when he's well."

Eliza didn't like the answer at all. "So the Death Eaters know right where I am?"

Regulus shook his head. "I won't be around them…" and there was a far-off look in his eyes.

"Regulus-"

But he was at the door, opening it, and then he disappeared into the night.

—

Eliza kept vigil over the unconscious house elf for the remainder of the morning, until she fell into a light doze in her recliner. When she awoke with a start, she glanced about herself. The clock read that it was four in the afternoon.

Getting to her feet, she returned to her patient. He still lay upon the loveseat, twitching every so often. She ran her wand across his body again, muttering Healer enchantments, trying to distinguish his condition.

"Kreacher," she said loudly, gently prodding the creature.

"No…Master Regulus…please…" the elf mumbled, starting to thrash.

Eliza quickly stole out of the room and returned with a Calming Draught; weakened in hopes to not over sedate the tiny figure. She was able to pour it down his mouth and the mumbling and twitching stopped.

Kreacher didn't wake until it was dark once more. Eliza had tried to keep herself busy all evening, to calm her racing mind, but there wasn't much house work to be done and reading was out of the question. When Kreacher weakly tried to sit up, Eliza went right to his side.

"Kreacher…are you alright?"

Blood shot eyes met Eliza and he spasmed. He began to look around himself in a panic.

"Kreacher, it's alright. My name is Eliza. Master Regulus brought you here to me."

The elf continued to look nervous but he gazed at Eliza's face. "You're the girl…Master Regulus has a picture of you in his room…"

"That's right," Eliza said soothingly. "I'm a friend. I helped you get better. I'll call for Master Regulus, okay?"

Getting to her feet, Eliza took out her wand. With a wave her silvery dolphin appeared.

"He's awake," she said to allow it to imprint the message and sent the charm through the window.

Afterwards she fetched some water for Kreacher to drink, which he did, his eyes never leaving Eliza's form. While they waited for Regulus to return, Eliza attempted to gather what had happened to Kreacher, but he would only shaking his head so vigorously that his ears flapped noisily.

It was nearing midnight when they heard tapping on the door. Her heart racing, Eliza grabbed her wand and approached the door, charming it so she could look outside as she'd done the night before. She opened the door with only a crack this time.

"What treat did Eliza Adwell offer Regulus Black on their first trip aboard The Hogwart's Express?"

A hint of a smile. "Cauldron cakes. She gave them to me every year afterwards."

Eliza sighed and ushered Regulus inside before firmly shutting and re-locking the door.

Regulus looked even worse than he had the night before. He was pale and the circles under her eyes were dangerously dark. Before she could speak, Regulus made his way into the sitting room.

"Master Regulus!" Kreacher squeaked, getting to his feet.

Regulus strode over to him, kneeling beside him. He placed his hands on the elf's shoulders. "Kreacher…what you told me before you collapsed…was it all true…? The lake…?"

Kreacher spasmed before he bowed his head. "Yes, Master Regulus."

Regulus got to his feet, pacing.

"What is going on?" Eliza asked, watching Regulus' frantic pacing.

Regulus shook his head. "I can't tell you; it's too dangerous."

"Regulus, I'm in constant danger."

"This is different!" He said, frustrated, glancing at Eliza.

Eliza frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. "Does this have to do with Voldemort?"

Regulus visibly flinched at the name.

"Regulus…"

"Eliza, you don't understand. I've defected. You're in danger once I'm found out."

Eliza blinked. "Defected."

Regulus sighed heavily and Eliza watched him waver on his feet.

"You need to sleep," Eliza said. Regulus started to protest but as a practiced Healer-in training, she took his arm and steered him to the couch. "You **need** sleep. Anything that needs to be discussed can be discussed in the morning. Do not leave the house."

Regulus looked up at her with tired eyes before sighing. He peered over at Kreacher. "Kreacher, go home. Tell no one what has happened. Tell no one where you have been. Do not tell anyone of my whereabouts."

Kreacher bowed and with a _crack_ disappeared.

As he did so, Eliza moved over to a closet and brought back a pillow and some blankets for Regulus.

"Sleep," she said again, pushing him down onto the couch. "Wake me if you need anything."

Regulus looked up at her and his mouth opened, like he wanted to speak, but after a moment he closed his mouth and only nodded. He laid back on the couch and, out of a habit, Eliza draped a blanket over his form.

"Goodnight," she said before exiting the room and heading to her own.

Once she reached her bed, she collapsed upon it. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest, her mind fully aware that she'd made physical contact with Regulus Black. It'd been two years since she'd done so.

Feeling awfully foolish, Eliza set her mind on other thoughts. Regulus said he defected. Why? Was he in some kind of trouble? He certainly was now. One didn't just retire from being a Death Eater.

Eliza eventually fell into a light doze, her mind clouded with images, memories. For the first time in a long time though, they were pleasant as they whisked her off to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

**One chapter left! (Not including the bonus chapter. Said chapter is not yet completed and I do not have a release date for it. If there is anything you would like to see in this chapter, please feel free to let me know.) I apologize for the incredibly short length of this chapter. It was originally part of the last chapter but I felt like it needed to be broken up.**

**I still am so tickled that no one likes Parker, haha. I guess I'm the only one who secretly likes that ship. Regardless, Regulus is back in the picture. How will the story end? Tune in next week to find out.**


	22. Heroes

**22\. Heroes**

Eliza awoke to the sound of birds chirping outside her window. She sat up and stretched, glancing at the clock. It was seven in the morning. Dressing in jeans and red jumper, Eliza ran a brush through her hair, brushed her teeth and headed downstairs.

Tentatively, Eliza crept into the sitting room, only to find that Regulus was awake. His blankets were folded and left on the couch. Regulus himself was standing in front of her mantlepiece, studying the photographs there. Slowly, Eliza moved to join him.

"You're dating Parker now," Regulus said simply, his eyes not leaving the many photographs.

"What…oh…"

Were they? She thought. Perhaps conventionally. They'd never actually discussed it, still after all this time. A pang of sadness filled Eliza's heart as she remembered that her friend was missing, believed dead. Her eyes sought the pictures and her mind wondered for the millionth time if she'd ever see him again.

"You should eat something," Eliza said to escape her thoughts and went to the kitchen to prepare eggs and toast and clear her mind of Parker McKinnon.

As she was finishing up, Regulus joined her. She bade him sit at the table, which he did. As Eliza put a plate in front of him her trained eyes studied him. At least he had appeared to sleep; there was some slight coloring back in his cheeks and the dark smudges under his eyes weren't quite as noticeable.

Eliza sat opposite him, sipping on some coffee. They ate in silence. She wasn't sure what she'd say if she had to talk. It was not lost on her the strange occurrence that was eating breakfast with Regulus Black…two years after their break up and him having joined the Death Eaters.

How many times had she dreamed of this moment? Of Regulus returning to her. But all the words she had dreamt she would say were lost to her. Never in her scenarios she had conjured during her nights alone had she pictured this was the way he would stumble back into her life.

When Regulus had finished, he watched Eliza closely. She stared back, ignoring her racing heart.

"The Dark Lord had need of a house elf; I volunteered Kreacher," there was no mistaking the look of regret that flashed across his face. "I told Kreacher to do whatever he was asked and return home. But when he did…he was shaking and barely coherent. I asked him what had happened. It took me awhile to understand what'd happened because he was just babbling."

"But you did find out?"

He nodded and gravely replied. "Yes. He took Kreacher to a cave beside the sea. Inside was a lake. They crossed the lake in the boat until they reached the other side. There was a stone basin filled with potion. He made Kreacher drink the potion until the basin was empty. Then the Dark Lord dropped a locket into it and refilled it with potion. Kreacher said the potion had burned…made him see terrible things. And then the Dark Lord left him there to die. Kreacher said he tried to drink from the lake, but..."

Regulus suddenly stopped himself, glancing down at his hands.

"But what?" Eliza prodded, not realizing she had moved to the edge of her seat.

Regulus glanced at her and swallowed. "He fell in. Under the affects of the potion, he almost drowned."

"How did Kreacher escape?" She asked, mind whirling.

"I had told him to come home, so he apparated."

Eliza sat there, stunned, her mind going over what Regulus had told her.

"But what was so important about this locket? Why is it so important it needs to be so heavily guarded?"

"That's what I needed to find out."

A moment passed. "…And did you…?"

"I…I think I know…"

"What is it?"

"Voldemort has made a horcrux," Regulus said, his expression grim.

Eliza's brows drew together in confusion. "What is a horcrux?"

"It's…dark magic, _really_ dark magic. A horcrux is an item in which you've concealed a piece of your soul."

Eliza, a bright and perceptive person, look nonplussed.

Regulus ran a hand over his face. "A person is able to split their soul using really dark magic. They keep part of their soul in their body, and hide the other piece in some kind of object. That way, if something happened to the person, they died or whathave you, there is still a piece of their soul hidden away. They're immortal essentially."

"So Voldemort has split his soul…we'll never be able to defeat him..!" Eliza said this last part in a horrified whisper as the realization flashed across her face.

"Unless the horcrux is destroyed!" Regulus replied earnestly, gently reaching across the table and gripping Eliza's hand. "If the horcrux is destroyed, then Voldemort _can_ die."

Eliza searched Regulus' face. "Okay…so I'll destroy it. It's the locket? Do you know where it is? In fact, how do you even know about it? A bit counterproductive to tell people about the only way to cause your destruction."

"He didn't tell us. Not directly, at least. I think I'm the only person who's figured it out. But he would say things sometimes…like saying that he'd taken steps to achieve immortality. That's his greatest fear: death. Perhaps his only fear. That's why he calls…_us_…" Regulus winced. "Death Eaters."

"You're not a death eater!" Eliza said adamantly, her eyes flashing, remembering his words from the day before. "Not anymore!"

Regulus smiled sadly. "There is no going back, Eliza. To defy Lord Voldemort is a death sentence."

"Then we'll put you into hiding! The Order…we can set up protection."

Regulus shook his head. "There is no hiding from Voldemort. He will find me and he will kill me. And then he will kill anyone who aided me. He would kill you."

Regulus tenderly stroked Eliza's hand. His eyes softened for a moment. Eliza's were glossing over with tears. Where is flesh touched hers was sending her nerves into a frenzy. She wanted to touch him, hold him.

"I can't let you die…" she whispered.

"You and The Order have forfeited your safety to end Voldemort's tyranny. Now I must do the same. And if I'm going to die anyway…I'd like to make it count for something."

"No! There has to be a way!"

"Eliza…I'm the only one who knows. I have to bring him down. At least I can do it covertly."

"Then I'll help you!" Eliza insisted.

"Absolutely not!" Regulus countered.

"You can't tell me what to do!" Eliza shot back. "I'm going to help you."

Regulus looked at her determined face. Had she always been so stubborn? Stupid question…

Regulus was quiet for a long moment. Eliza could tell he was thinking hard. But she wouldn't take no for an answer. She couldn't save him when they'd been at Hogwarts, but she sure as hell could save him now.

Looking defeated, Regulus sighed. His voice was soft, reminding her of those moments when they had each other and the world had disappeared beyond each other's touch. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Nothing will. I'll be with you."

His eyes were pained, but he smiled.

—

That day, Eliza went out to buy a locket similar to the one Kreacher described. Dressed as discreetly as possible, she spent the afternoon searching. She had ordered Regulus to sleep while she did so. When she returned, he was dozing on the couch.

Eliza watched him quietly. His face was at peace and he looked like the Regulus she remembered. Something tugged at her heart and a lump rose in her throat. She wanted to go to him, hold his hand, hold him.

The time they'd lost swirled through her mind. How many mornings had been lost when she could have awoken to this sight? The warmth of his arms around her rushed through her as if it had been yesterday. It struck her then that Regulus had never left her heart. The bond they'd shared she had hidden in a vault, but it had not diminished. It had been there the whole time, waiting for him to find his way back to her.

Stupid girl, she chided herself. But still, she could not deny the way her heart ached as she watched him. Taking a deep breath through her nose, she headed to the kitchen where she poured herself some tonic. She sat at the table, staring down at the heavy locket when Regulus joined her twenty minutes later.

"You're back," he said, taking a seat opposite her.

She nodded and passed him the locket. "Do you think this will do?"

He held it in his hands, turning it once over before nodding. "Yes. We just need to decorate it."

Eliza watched as Regulus worked and finally, the front of the locket was covered with an ornate S written with emerald stones. They stared at the locket for a long moment.

"When should we do this?"

"Tonight. They may have noticed my absence by now so we don't have time to waste."

He got to his feet, as Eliza did.

"Regulus…"

He turned his eyes towards the blonde. She approached him, standing an arm's-length away. No words passed between them. But their eyes locked upon each other's and it seemed, nothing needed to be said anyway. Timidly, Eliza stepped forward and wrapped Regulus in a hug. He tensed for a moment, but relaxed as his arms wound around her, holding him to her.

"It's going to be okay," she whispered into his shoulder. He gave her a tight squeeze.

Eliza closed her eyes, taking in his familiar scent. She didn't know if she believed her words. She didn't know what tonight held in store for them. She did not know what tomorrow would bring. But right now, in this moment, with his hands in her hair, everything was alright.

—

As night fell, Regulus summoned Kreacher. They discussed something in the sitting room as Eliza packed some potions in a small bag. When she joined them, she nodded. They each took ahold of one of Kreacher's hands and in a moment, they found themselves standing on a thin rock, looking up at a towering cliff which held the cave.

Carefully, they ascended the cliff. The rocks were slippery, due to the spraying sea water and the wind whipped Eliza's hair around her face. However they made it without incident and found themselves at the mouth of the cave. As they entered, Eliza shivered.

"Can you sense it, Regulus?" She whispered, hugging herself.

"Dark magic," he nodded. He moved to a side of the cave, his palm searching for something he knew was there. Finally finding it, Regulus waved his wand and struck the area with a curse.

There was a flash of white light, revealing an archway, but as it dimmed, the stone remained firmly intact.

"This is where we need to go through?" Eliza asked, moving closer, Kreacher at her heels.

Regulus was studying it. "Yes…but it doesn't appear as though a spell will let us through."

He was quiet for a long moment before he took out a switchblade from his pocket. Before she could protest, he cut into his palm and smeared blood across the wall.

"Regulus!" Eliza gasped in horror, moving to examine his hand; but what he'd done had done the trick.

The flash of light had returned, but this time the stone had disappeared. Eliza repaired Regulus' hand with a quick wave of her hand and the trio stepped through, Regulus and Eliza lighting the tips of their wands.

"Well this is creepy…" Eliza grimaced, taking in the sight before them.

They had come before the lake, black as night, as Kreacher had described. It was large, so much so Eliza was surprised it could exist here. It seemed to go on forever. In the middle of the lake, there radiated a ghostly green light which reflected into the water around it.

"Kreacher said there was a boat hidden here at the shore, help me look for it," Regulus said and the pair split, examining the rocky shore for any signs of a boat.

"Here!" Eliza said when she noticed a large chain piece sticking up out of the water.

Regulus hurried over and took hold of it; more chain links appeared. Together, Eliza and Regulus pulled up a boat that had been hidden beneath the water and tugged it partially up on land. Eliza climbed in first, followed by Regulus. Regulus held Kreacher in his arms, as the boat was so small. The poor elf was quaking head to foot, but he remained silent.

They sailed forward, into the blackness of the lake. No words were exchanged but the tension was palpable.

Suddenly, the boat jutted forward and Eliza saw that it had met stone. There was a smooth island of stone and upon it sat a stone basin, where the eerie green light had been emanating from. They left the boat and headed for the basin, peering inside. It was filled with a green liquid and its shine cast across Regulus' and Eliza's faces.

Carefully, Regulus reached down to touch the potion, with a squeak of protest from Eliza, only to find that his fingers could not dip into the fluid. Eliza frowned and tried a vanishing spell, but this did not work.

Regulus shook his head. "There's no use. It has to be drunk."

Eliza could feel Kreacher shaking from behind them. Regulus waved his wand and produced a goblet.

"You know what to do, Kreacher," Regulus said, turning to face the elf. "You must make sure I drink this potion and switch the locket. That's an order. Then take Eliza with you and destroy that locket."

"Regulus!" Eliza looked to him in horror. "Have you lost your mind?! That potion will kill you!"

"It didn't kill Kreacher," Regulus said quietly, not quite looking at Eliza.

"It almost did!" Eliza said fiercely.

Regulus finally looked into her eyes. "The potion has to be drunk. There's no other way to get to the locket. You know what it is. You know it has to be destroyed."

Eliza looked to him desperately. "Then let me drink it!"

"No!" Regulus said sternly, but then he stepped forward and gently cupped Eliza's face in his hands. She only looked up to him with pained, shaking eyes. Regulus closed his and sighed, placing a kiss upon her head. Slowly, he pulled away and grabbed her hand. "You _must_ make sure I keep drinking the potion."

Eliza looked ready to argue but, finally, she swallowed against her throat and gave a jerky nod.

Regulus let go of her hand and moved towards the basin. As he hovered over it, its eerie green light shone bright against his face. He took the cup, sunk it into the potion, held it to his lips, and drank.

The air was thick with tension as Regulus swallowed the potion. He lowered the cup from his lips. Not a sound was heard as he lowered the cup again, filled it with potion and drank again. This time, however, the rim had barely left his lips when his hand jerked and the empty cup fell from his hands. Regulus fell to his knees.

Eliza called his name and dropped down beside him. He was beginning to shake. Kreacher retrieved the cup and began to fill the cup again. Regulus began to mumble to himself.

"Sh, sh, it's okay," Eliza said soothingly, stroking the hair away from his face.

"I…I was bad…I was bad….I was bad…"

"No, Regulus, you're good, you're good," Eliza told him softly as Kreacher brought the cup forth. Regulus did not reach for it but he swallowed the potion as Kreacher held it to his lips.

He screamed after it went down, beginning to writhe and Eliza took hold of him, cradling his form.

"You're good, Regulus! You're _good_!" She kept saying. Sweat was forming at his brow and she wiped it away. He continued to scream things here and there; sometimes loudly, sometimes only half-coherent mumbling. Things like "I don't want to!", "I'm sorry…so sorry…". He said her name a lot.

Kreacher forced another cup full down his throat. Eliza held him tightly as he jerked.

"You're good," she said tearfully. "You're a hero. And you know I have a thing for heroes…"

There were tears leaking down her front now as she held onto Regulus.

He continued alternating between screaming and mumbling.

"Eliza…Eliza…"

"I'm here. I'm right here," she cried, repeatedly smoothing back his hair as Kreacher brought another cup.

"Stop!" Regulus screamed when another cup was drank. "_Please_!"

Eliza was sobbing and Kreacher's entire body was shaking as they forced another cup full down his throat.

"How much is left!?" Eliza cried desperately as Kreacher retrieved another cup.

"This is all," Kreacher finally said as they emptied the cup. He scurried back and Eliza watched him pull something from the basin and drop something in its place.

It was the locket. It looked old and tarnished aside from a single letter, a 'S' laid out in emeralds, somehow shining in the dimness.

"We have to go now…" Kreacher croaked, shooting a woeful glance at his master, who'd gone silent aside from quiet, incoherent mumbling.

Eliza had her upper body twisted to look at the elf. "We have to take Regulus with us."

Kreacher shook his head, his bat-like ears flapping. Eliza felt Regulus move but her eyes stayed trained on the elf.

"You can disobey an order Kreacher!"

He continued to shake his head. "There's too many!"

Eliza's eyebrows knitted together. "Too many _what_, Kreacher? Nothing is up here!"

Kreacher steadied his head and stared into Eliza's face with horror in his eyes. "We can't defeat them…"

"Defeat _who_, Kreacher!?"

A splashing sound cut through Eliza's attention and she turned to see that Regulus had pulled himself close to the waters edge and sunk his hands in. Eliza shrieked when a decayed hand shot out from beneath the water, grasping Regulus' wrist.

"Regulus!" Eliza shrill scream echoed across the cavern as she scrambled forward, grabbing for her friend. The dead hand tried to pull him into the water but Eliza fought against it. She tugged with all her might and freed Regulus. She pulled him away from the water's edge but Eliza's relief lasted less then a second.

Dozens of hands, and arms, and beings were beginning to pull themselves up onto the rocks. Eliza's horror was palpable when she realized what they were. Inferi. An army of dead. There had been rumors, but it had almost seemed too nightmarish to be true. But the nightmare was real and it was clawing towards them.

Immediately Eliza grabbed her wand and shot a stream of fire against the onslaught. The bodies disappeared, but more took their place. More started to come in from the side.

Still clutching onto Regulus with one hand, Eliza realized why Regulus hadn't wanted her to come. And that the only reason he'd allowed it was because he expected her to go back with Kreacher. But he had known about this. He had come here to die.

Eliza shot stream after stream of flame, but it made no difference. The dead bodies kept coming, climbing over corpses, creeping closer and closer. When a slimy hand grabbed at Regulus' legs, Eliza's world seemed to slow down. Her eyes took in the crawling abominations beginning to surround them. She saw Regulus, unconscious, his black hair sprayed over his handsome face. Slowly, Eliza turned to find Kreacher retreating from the onslaught, his eyes a lit with terror as they found hers.

When Eliza spoke, her voice sounded foreign to her. She felt disconnected as her eyes bored into the elf's. "Kreacher. Destroy it."

Kreacher's eyes watched as the fire died out and a mass of flailing limbs overcame his master and the girl he had loved. With a crack, he disapparated.

The world wouldn't know what they had done until Kreacher told Harry Potter some seventeen years later. Sirius would say his brother died a coward and the resistance would mournfully report that Eliza's body was never found.

But in the end, Eliza and Regulus, the most unlikely of duos, died together as equals, as friends, as lovers, as heroes.

The End

**Stay tuned for the next installment.**


	23. Bonus Content

**A Thing for Heroes: Bonus Content**

Welcome back! I can't believe it's over! I mean, all but two chapters were finished before I posted but it didn't feel over while I was posting it. I started this story in June of 2018 and it's been with me through triumphs and low points. Certain scenes came out of these low points. Sometimes I would just sit and write my darker chapters then that hadn't been planned. But my story needed them in the end.

I can't thank everyone enough for following me along this journey. To everyone who has favorited, followed, reviewed; I cherish each and every one of you.

Firstly, I would like to take the time to write some of my thoughts pertaining to this story. If this is uninteresting to you, feel free to skip on to the scenes below. I will also be making note of some trivia facts and easter eggs in the story. I also have bonus scenes written. Some are scenes written in Regulus' POV throughout the story. I also include scenes from the books themselves, written to include mentions of Eliza. I would like to put a disclaimer here that some of these scenes contain word for word from Rowling's writing. Some text might be taken out to remove unnecessary length. Obviously, I do not own any of that writing, except for mentions of Eliza.

As I mentioned, I wrote the ending before I ever wrote Eliza boarding The Hogwarts Express. I knew this was the way it needed to end when I began my first scratches in my notebook, making notes on characters and scenes and ages.

I had a fan contact me towards the end of the story and she asked if there was a sequel, which of course there wasn't. She guessed that Regulus would die. I asked if she'd prefer it that way or if she'd like an alternate ending. She wanted a happy ending for our duo. After that, I did think long and hard about making an alternative ending, just to do so, but I found there was no way.

Firstly, even if they escaped the lake and they successfully hid from Voldemort until his downfall and Regulus would be acquitted due to his work in getting the Horcrux, they still couldn't have their happy ending. First of all, the secret would be out. They'd inform Dumbledore of the horcrux and destroy it, and Dumbledore would be well aware there would be more horcruxes after Harry delivered him Riddle's journal. This would most likely lead to Dumbledore searching earlier and probably destroying more horcruxes. There would be no scene where Dumbledore and Harry set off to find the locket. No scene where they end up on the Astronomy tower and Dumbledore dies. Sure, he was dying anyway but then quite a bit of the seventh book would be wiped away. Harry wouldn't be searching for the locket, there would be no need to go to the Ministry, lives wouldn't be saved. He'd probably know right away that the Sword of Gryffindor could destroy Horcruxes. And even if I ignored this, Regulus and Eliza would be hunted down in the fifth book once Voldemort returns. You could argue they'd have 16 happy years together, but I can't envision their life without a child in it. And what would happen to the child? Would she (it would totally be a she) be orphaned? That's not a happy ending. I could write that Eliza didn't die and she turned out to be pregnant but that's still not the happy ending I think we're all hoping for. Unfortunately, there's really no way to escape the tragedy of this tale and I could find no way to write an alternative ending.

The ending I wrote felt right. And of course, it keeps close to cannon. I attempted to keep this story as cannon as possible. Every book title or shop mentioned in the story are from Rowling's world. I did extensive research to keep things canon. I still received some backlash that Regulus' character wasn't following the description that Sirius gave throughout the books. But this just wasn't feasible. There'd be no story at all if I kept him completely the same.

And quite frankly, I like my version of Regulus. He was clearly misunderstood and he was an unsung hero by the end of the books. I wanted to shine light on this Regulus. Work through what he actually may have been going through. How much having a person in his life such as Eliza would have changed his world view.

I'd like to discuss my decision on putting Eliza in Hufflepuff. It did feel strange to me. I have always been a Gryffindor and it felt strange to write from another house. Not to mention the research I had to do on the Hufflepuff House. But for starters, I think I always planned on Eliza being a Hufflepuff; she just fits. And I couldn't very well put her in Gryffindor. I was well aware that this story would parallel any SnapeXLily and I wanted to stay away from that. I wanted my story to be original. Not to mention, I am sooo against LilyXSnape.

But while I wrote my Hufflepuffs, I wanted to shine light on the fact that Hufflepuffs are a unique House. They aren't defined by a single attribute like the other Houses. Eliza was crafted to represent every House. She has the bravery, the ambition, the cunning; I wanted to roll them all into one person. I also had my other characters reflect other Houses, but that they still wound up in Hufflepuff. Parker and Em represented Gryffindor. Midge represented Ravenclaw. Jack represented Slytherin. And Arthur represented kind of what we all stereotypically think of when we think of Hufflepuff. But these Houses didn't define them. They were placed in Hufflepuff to prove that everyone needs a bit of all these Houses to truly be well-rounded. That having a mix of all these attributes make a hero.

I always had Parker's future determined as well. I chose his last name on purpose. If you remember to book 5, when Moody is going through the photo of the original Order, he mentions Marlene McKinnon, a gifted witch whose entire family was wiped out by the Death Eaters. I was always curious if anyone would pick up on this easter egg.

Parker was always meant to be the knight in shining armor. He was placed to offset Regulus and emphasize the darkness of Regulus' character. He's crafted this way to make a nod to the typical romance Eliza might see in her stories. The knight in shining armor but that the girl often chooses the brooding character with demons.

And while I loved Parker's character, it seemed everyone was still loyal to Regulus. I guess this means I did a great job in molding Regulus' character to be someone worthy of Eliza's love. I also never exactly planned that Eliza and Parker would pursue a relationship. In my mind, Parker was always supposed to be that one male friend, perfect in every way but that we simply don't have feelings for. But the inevitability of it is also a theme of this story and I have no regrets. In fact, I just feel bad for poor Parker. While Eliza loved him in a way, to her, it was always Regulus. And then he perished in a war that seemed to snuff out the light in the world.

Eliza's love for romance novels solely existed to emphasize the theme of the story. That Regulus really was a hero. It wasn't the original theme of the story, to be honest. I had other titles and ideas that circled around Eliza and Regulus' love story. But in the end, I fell in the love with this idea and so it stuck.

Another theme in this story was mental illness. It was not something I had originally planned for, but it came perfectly as the story progressed and I found myself going back and editing the early chapters to fit it in. I chose Eliza's anxiety as a type of handicap so she wouldn't be 'the perfect hero'. Kind of in the same way Rowling gave Harry glasses so that her hero wasn't perfect. But it also made sense. Growing up in the household she did, self esteem issues and anxiety would have naturally developed. I myself struggle with a slew of mental illnesses and I enjoyed working this into the story. I enjoyed watching Eliza overcome this in times, and felt for her in the times that it took over. But this does add to the overall strength of her character.

Are you all sick of the notes yet? I would like to quick mention a few facts about Eliza that I couldn't find a way to make scenes out of in the story that didn't seem like I was forcing them in there. I never wanted parts of the story to feel forced, and so if it didn't fit, I didn't put it in.

Eliza's boggart was something I wanted to show, but just couldn't find a way. I didn't write much about their lessons except in the beginning. Eliza's boggart takes the form of her father, demeaning her in the way she grew up with. Telling her she'd never be good enough, that her magic didn't make her important or special, that she was weak because of her gift. This is supposed to represent Eliza's fear of failure. This was the main concept she learned from her father. Due to the self-esteem troubles he crafted within her, Eliza always worried that she would fail. That her father was right and that even though she had magic, she was worthless.

Amortentia is the strongest love potion in the world. The smell of the potion varies from person to person and is dependent upon what each individual finds appealing. I probably could have worked this into the story, but not in a way that held significance. And I was very cognoscente in this story that everything I wrote had some kind of significance. I could have used it to emphasize Eliza's attraction to Regulus, like Hermione did in book six, but it just didn't seem important. So I kept it as a trivia fact to post here. For Eliza, she smells old books, antiseptic and the smell of chocolate that reminds her of Cauldron Cakes. Quick note there, reading back I noticed in my first chapter she actually bought Regulus a pumpkin pasty! UGH! Also I noticed that Fanfiction wasn't posting names properly! If I didn't put a space after a period in a name like when using Mr, the name wouldn't show. Was I going to go back and edit this? Nope.

I did write a scene in chapter 17 where Sirius and Eliza talk about Regulus' favorite treat. I wrote how it used to be something else, but overtime changed to Cauldron Cakes. This was of course a nod to the fact that they became his favorite because Eliza always gifted them to him and they were how they first became friends aboard the The Hogwarts Express. I contemplated deleting this scene after I wrote it, feeling I like it might have that "forced" feeling I mentioned previously. But I kept it in the end. Still I ponder over whether or not it was necessary.

Other trivia:

Eliza's wand is willow with a unicorn hair, 12 ¾ in length slightly unyielding. I poured through all the descriptions of the wands to pick one for a Eliza; it was not a random choice. I chose willow wood because it is great for healing magic and is often attracted to those with insecurity. It finds those with great potential, who never feel like they do not need to learn more. Eliza, no? I chose slightly unyielding to make reference to her strength and dedication; her inability to be swayed from her beliefs. I chose unicorn hair because it is least subject to blockages and fluctuations and is the hardest to turn towards the dark arts. Although, if mishandled, the hair may die from melancholy. Every aspect of Eliza's wand was chosen on purpose.

Eliza's patronus was also selected with care. After much research, I had it narrowed down to a sphynx cat, heron and dolphin. The cat is friendly, intelligent, playful and affectionate. The heron is intelligent and determined and appreciates diversity (this is Rowling's own patronus-but that part was not included in my musings). Lastly, the dolphin's main attributes are intelligence and sociability. "Also known for their playfulness and loyalty, dolphins live and work together in groups to aid the sick and injured and to defend each other from predators. Its incredible intelligence is put to good use in the form of solving complex problems and other such challenges." Obviously, the dolphin overwhelmingly described Eliza and it was no contest in picking this patronus.

Regulus was much harder to determine. He does not have a set patronus by Rowling. I realized this might because he was such a complex character; I spent a lot of time rereading descriptions to come up with his patronus. I almost settled on the crow. Firstly, it's seen as a dark omen (bingo). It is resourceful, ambitious, and cunning. They are goal driven, fearless and smart. Regardless of the fact that this fit Regulus very well, I settled on the borzoi. Why? Because it's a dog. I had it in my head that I really wanted Regulus' patronus to be a dog, to signify his similarities to Sirius. It was pretty much a necessity to me. So despite how well the crow fit, I looked through all the dog breeds to find what might match Regulus the best. "Personal space is very important to the Borzoi. They aren't normally aggressive or display their dominance but will become aggressive if they are handled roughly. Borzois are reserved around new people but are really loving around those they are comfortable with." While the crow still fit very well, I chose the borzoi as I could match it Regulus at a decent level and it was a dog.

More facts! Midge was originally supposed to be a half blood with a pureblood mother and half blood father. I later changed her to being a muggleborn, but I still wanted her to have links to the magic world so I decided that she would be muggleborn but that her maternal aunt was a witch so that Midge would still understand the wizarding world quite well. Arthur is muggleborn, but had an older bother who is a wizard as well. I don't know why I decided on this as his brother didn't have much to do with the story. Jack was also supposed to play Quidditch as a chaser but I cut this for some reason. Parker and Em were always meant to play Quidditch. Pattie, Em's girlfriend, also plays Quidditch for the Gryffindor team. I don't believe this was mentioned in the story.

Original title ideas included: The Enigma of Black, Ambiguity (which became the title of chapter one) and a little while after that came A Thing for Heroes.

Penelope, Eliza's mother, had several changes throughout the story. Her last name was changed to Fawcett just before publishing. While I knew something would have to happen to her, it took me a while to decide what. I considered having her disappear and be presumed dead. I thought about having her be captured but escape to 's. Here is where she would pass and I considered using this to give Eliza her drive to become a Healer.

I would say that writing Eliza's and Regulus' story was a bit challenging. Writing Regulus was a balance. He lived in two worlds essentially. The one he'd always known and the one with Eliza in it. Fans would sometimes remark that Eliza was stupid for not seeing how Regulus really was. Or wishing they had Regulus' POV throughout the story. However, the fact that Regulus is such a complex character made this unfeasible. Throughout the story, he is constantly torn and, frankly, isn't sure how he feels. While his whole upbringing was to lead him to the dark side, Eliza muddled his dedication. While part of him retained the values he'd been raised with and fostered by his House, Eliza made him doubt all of this. He is uncomfortable with hurting others, and I believe Rowling tried to portray this in her writing as well. He does remark to Eliza that he did not choose his House, or his Housemates, but in a way he did. I believe he truly wanted to end up in Slytherin to uphold family tradition. And he did fit in there. But knowing that their actions hurt Eliza and went against her beliefs made it confusing to him whether or not he truly believed what his classmates did. The point of Regulus is that we don't truly know what it is going on in his mind. And frankly, it's because he is confused as well. He likes the idea of a wizard-ruled world, but seems to shy away from the dark acts that would make this possible. This is mentioned in book 5 by Sirius when he states he believes Regulus got cold feet when he realized what he'd be asked to do.

Once again I'd like to mention that people remarked how stupid Eliza was for not realizing where Regulus was headed. But to her, it was not as black and white as it is to us. She didn't see Regulus as just a pureblood or a Slytherin, she saw how he acted towards her. And she believed that his willingness to be such close friends with her must speak to some kind of confliction with his prior beliefs. Also, we forget that Eliza does have her self-esteem issues, despite the strength of her character. I believe she felt some kind of honor at being Regulus' friend. And how could she see him as bad when he came to her the night her father displayed he'd rather have nothing to do with her. To me, this is a familiar theme in my own life. Ignoring red flags because we only want to see the good in someone; knowing the way they can be. I'm sure the majority of us can remember some instance of this in our own lives.

One last thing that no one commented on but that I was worried would be a problem, was the timeline. In my story, Regulus lives a little longer than he did in the books. I needed more time after Hogwarts and so I kind of skewed the actually dates a little. But I'm not sure that anyone noticed. So…on with the scenes, shall we?

—

Regulus stood at his window, gazing past the pane to the world outside. Snow had fallen without pause yesterday and the street was filled with muggle children chasing each other with snowballs or shaping the snow into forts. But Regulus' eyes were on the sun. It burned a dark orange as it made its descent from the sky, half way through in its mission to set.

The distant laughter of the children faded away as Regulus' mind brought him to another place; to another time when he watched a sun just as bright fall through the sky. Even in the moment, he'd felt suspended in time, like the world had stopped for him. Her head had been on his shoulder. Her scent of vanilla and something sweeter, like honey, enveloped his senses. She made little sighs when she was content and it made his skin tingle. Her hair now tumbled down his body and it glowed in the sun, reminding him of paintings of angels.

What he wouldn't give to be back in that memory. What could he give?

Regulus' gaze moved from the setting sun to his bedroom door. At first glance, an ordinary door. Made of wood, oak probably. But it was not. Not for Regulus. It was the entryway to his fate. A portal to a world that would parallel from the one he'd lived in the past six years.

Six years ago, he dreamed of this day. Pined for it, prepared for it. Faced the world and its challenges solely so he could walk through that damn door.

Now?

Regulus walked to his desk, his fingers skimming over the items that rested there. Normally there were none, but today he had taken them from their homes and placed them here. So that he could see the picture of his life…that would be gone with that setting sun.

There were pictures. Several were from the Slug Club parties over the years. He saw the changes in their bodies and faces as they aged. But her eyes had never changed. In every picture she looked up at him and smiled before smiling back at the photographer. Her eyes always glowed. He'd never quite noticed it before, but he recognized that look now; adoration. First year, second year, forth year…she had the look in every one.

His favorite picture was framed. It was fall and they were surrounded in trees, their leaves blood red and orange. She was hugging him around the neck. She was swaying in the picture. Had she been doing it that day? He couldn't remember. But the colors around them brought out the color of her eyes.

He skimmed over a box beside the pictures. It contained every letter she wrote to him; her handwriting as familiar to him as his own. She always wrote her name in cursive.

Beside that, a statue, beautifully made. When he had picked up the box that contained them after she'd dropped them in the corridor, he feared he'd never be able to fix them. But he did. It was so easy. It was like her magic melded with his and the pieces molded themselves back perfectly.

He remembered that night. Remember the pretty girl in the alcove, though he couldn't remember her name. She'd been flirting with him all evening. It had felt awkward and the conversations were flat. But he remembered looking over to see Eliza laughing at something McKinnon had said. He felt stung, but he didn't know why. The way she was smiling…she smiled like that for him. Then he felt it. _Jealousy_.

An emotion that was not familiar to him. It hit him hard, like a powerful stinging hex. The sight made him want to pull McKinnon away from her. But he was confused. Maybe he'd made a mistake. Maybe she looked at all her friends like that. And that's why she looked at him like that. Because they were friends.

It was hard for him to describe Eliza. Perhaps normal people would say she was his best friend. But she was more than that. She was a blinding light that illuminated the shadows in him, that made him afraid of those shadows. She was a constant, always at his side, whether he realized he needed her there or not. He had a connection with her that he'd not found in any other human being. She was almost like an extension of him that he needed in his life.

There'd always been something about her, ever since they met on The Hogwarts Express all those years ago. Regulus had always been a solemn child. He preferred to be on his own. He'd rather bury his nose in a book than carry on a conversation. His mind was always reeling, trying to discern puzzles even when one was not blatantly available. He'd never needed companionship, and aside from his younger years with Sirius, he'd never wanted it. He was different.

But the minute she had introduced herself, Regulus realized that Eliza was different too. She looked at him like he was a puzzle, one she wanted to solve. She looked at him brightly and keenly, as if analyzing everything he did. Her focus on him, at first, alarmed him. But the more she prodded and pried, the more he discovered he enjoyed their interaction. He felt a connection to her and he thought it was different.

But as he watched her then, a fire burned in his gut. It confused him. And it frustrated him. He felt like there was something he wasn't understanding…and it clenched in his gut over and over. And so when the pretty older Slytherin whispered in his ear: "Let's find somewhere more private", he followed. Away from the confusion. Away from frustration.

Regulus had never kissed anyone before. Her lips were soft and tasted of the punch Slughorn always had at his parties. She smelled of some type of flower and he found himself wishing she smelled like something different. Maybe vanilla. He liked that smell.

She pushed against him, her lips hungry against his and he found his mind wandering. Kissing, after all, didn't seem to be very entertaining. His lips moved mechanically against hers as his mind shifted through thoughts. He wondered if all girls had soft lips. He wondered if Eliza had soft lips.

What a stupid thought, he chided himself. Why were his thoughts all over the place?

So lost in his scattered thoughts was Regulus that he didn't notice the presence of someone else. He was jarred for a minute when the girl broke away, turning towards the corridor.

"Uh…can we help you?"

Regulus glanced over to find Eliza. There was a brightly wrapped box clutched to her chest, but it only caught his eye for a moment. What he really saw was her face. She looked as though he had struck her. Her mouth was shaped in a small 'o' and her eyes were wide. But the look in her eyes… he didn't understand what they were saying but he felt like he'd been punched in the gut. He immediately felt sick. He'd hurt her. He didn't know how, or why, or how he knew, but he knew it. He wanted to take it away, but his mind was reeling with confusion.

Parker was tugging on her free hand. "Eliza…Eliza let's go."

Regulus glanced at McKinnon. His face was filled with concern and he was looking at Eliza with a sort of desperation. As if snapped from a trance, Eliza jerked and her package fell to the ground. Regulus heard something shatter. It echoed in his head, clearing his thoughts. But his mind was blank.

Eliza turned on her heel and marched McKinnon down the hallway until they were out of sight. Regulus looked down to the package that lay on the ground.

"What the hell was that about?" The Slytherin asked, turning to Regulus with an annoyed look on her face. But Regulus wasn't paying any attention. He stepped out of the alcove and scooped up the package. Whatever was inside rattled and it sounded broken.

"Regulus," the girl huffed.

Regulus blinked and looked to the girl. He glanced down at the package and then back at her. "Thanks for the lovely evening."

And he left her standing there, her face contorted in shock and rage. Regulus didn't care. He made his way back to his room to see what he had broken.

That memory now seemed almost silly to him. How could he not have seen? Not understood? She'd been just like him back then. With this connection and not knowing what it meant. If only he'd kissed her then.

Lastly, Regulus picked up the book he'd been given not days before. He'd read it, as requested, but he wished he hadn't. Eliza had given this to him on purpose. As he read the lines, he could picture Eliza saying them. Could picture her in the scenes. It's what she had wanted, to let him know how much she loved him.

And he was going to break her heart.

He should have ended it on that platform. But he was weak. He couldn't fathom never seeing that look in her eyes again. Couldn't imagine a world without her laugh or her smile. Because he loved her. He loved her so much it hurt.

Regulus has never really understood love. He hadn't needed to. It wasn't exactly a theme in his house. And from a young age Regulus knew what would be expected of him. He was to learn and serve and when the time came, his mother would make a match for him. She'd be related to him in some way, perhaps a second cousin. They'd marry and that would be it.

His mother loved him, he knew. Perhaps unconditionally, but he had never been willing to test it. He grew up listening to who she wanted him to be. What she wanted him to do. Would she still love him if he defied these? Something told him that perhaps, that unconditional love wouldn't be so unconditional. Would she see him as Sirius?

His mother would go on and on about how Sirius had broken her heart. But she never seemed heartbroken. Not in the way he imagined heartbreak looked like. Not the way he'd seen Eliza look or behave when she'd been heartbroken. Rather…his mother just seemed angry.

But Sirius…he was _happy_. Sirius hadn't spent the last month barely able to eat. Feeling like he was walking to his own death. Feeling so hopeless. So weak.

Regulus closed his eyes. When had he become so weak? When he was with Eliza, he felt stronger. But without her, he felt incomplete. He felt helpless when he couldn't help her. She was his weakness.

There was a knock on the door. Regulus immediately opened a drawer to his desk and slid the items into it just as the door opened.

"Regulus…everyone is waiting for you."

Regulus looked up to find his mother approaching him. He stood where he was, waiting for her to reach him. When she did, she gazed at him fondly. Her face looked softer than it had in years and it transported Regulus to the days he would sit in her lap and she would sing to him.

His mother reached out, cupping his face with her hand. "I am so proud of you. Your father and I are both so proud."

Regulus watched her eyes roam over him with pride. He'd craved this his whole life. But now all he could think about was Eliza. How much he wished it was her standing there. He couldn't almost see her standing there, smiling up at him. Pride in her eyes not because of the decision he was following, but because he was him. And she loved him.

His mother smiled at him, caressing his cheek before letting go. "You remember I always told you that you would do great things."

Regulus remembered. They were his earliest memories. Sitting in his mother's lap as she recounted the great things the Blacks had done. The ancient line that he would follow and contribute to. He remembered listening in awe, imagining the great things he would do.

Now that time had come and he felt sick. It was time to make his sacrifices and he wasn't ready to. For the first time in his life, he wondered what it would be like to be like Sirius, to walk out that door and away from his destiny. To leave this world behind and clutch Eliza in his arms. To never have to let go again.

Regulus breathed deeply through his nose. "I'll be down in just a moment, Mother."

She smiled at him again, placing a kiss on his forehead before taking her leave. He watched her go. He could visualize her moving down the stairs and into their seating room. She would graciously offer beverages to the men there. Dangerous men. Vipers with masks who were waiting for him amongst his family.

Regulus looked down to his wrist and gently touched the charm there. He watched until it flashed. But the warmth and serenity it usually filled him with did not surface. Rather, grief washed over him, filling him with emptiness.

Carefully, he removed the bracelet. He deposited it in the drawer he'd closed only moments ago and it rested alongside the memories he'd gathered throughout the years. He almost felt his weakness take him. But he swallowed against his throat, stood a little straighter and closed the drawer. The vision of closing the drawer on her smiling face filled his mind as he made his way to the door, to his fate, and stepped through.

—

Regulus had never realized how dark Hogwarts really was. The torches that lined the wall at night were dim and barely illuminated the hallway. He'd never noticed how cold and drafty the castle was either. He never realized he'd been seeing light all these years…until it was gone.

The vision of Eliza peering down at him in the snow before disappearing into the castle haunted his dreams at night. It replayed over and over behind his eyelids, keeping him from sleep. Sometimes he would wake thinking she was there beside him…but of course she wasn't.

After the night that Sirius had revealed him, Regulus hadn't seen Eliza in a week. She didn't show up for any classes. She never came down to eat. The thought of her coiled up in bed, wasting away was constantly on his mind. When she finally started coming to classes again, she would never look at him. She looked pale and her eyes were always red. There were bags under her eyes and a haunted looked within them, like she was never truly where she physically was.

It killed him to see her like that. To know what he'd done to her. But he repressed it all. He numbed himself against his pain. That's when he started to see the world in a new light. Or, lack thereof anyway. It had taken him some time, but he'd had much longer to prepare. Because he'd lied to Eliza.

He wasn't sure why he had. He knew that she couldn't be with him. That she would never accept the choice he made. He knew she'd find out at some point. But when she was in his arms, he couldn't bare to let her go.

He remembered the night when she had asked him if his mother would ever let him marry her. When she giggled over the idea of their children. It had stuck with him for days. The thoughts became obsessive. Eliza in a white dress. What their children would look like. He envisioned a little girl with curly black hair and eyes the color of molten gold.

He almost thought he was going insane. He felt like he was being ripped apart from the inside. In truth, he'd never even thought about marrying Eliza. He was sixteen and the idea had never occurred to him. And now it wouldn't leave him. After the third night of no sleep, he almost thought he could hear children's laughter when he was alone.

Things got easier for him as time passed. Eventually he could sleep again. He started eating full meals again; only glancing once in a while at the Hufflepuff table, only vaguely noticing that Eliza barely touched her food. That her face was too thin.

But well after he'd adjusted to his new life, he started noticing Eliza again. He would hear her laugh in class. And when he noticed Eliza, he noticed McKinnon. He was always at her side. He'd see him take her hand under the desk. Saw them whisper against each others ears.

He tried to block it out. Constantly he reminded himself of the life he had chosen, and what he had sacrificed. He lived as he once did, alone. It was better this way, he told himself. It _had_ to be this way. He couldn't defy his destiny.

Time and time again he went over in his mind if he'd made a mistake. But in the end, he knew this life was inevitable. His family was too integrated in the Dark Lord. His House was too integrated…and they knew about Eliza. If he'd chosen to take his brother's path, she would have paid the price. And he had to content himself with the fact that at least she was safe.

But then the rumors started. The first time he heard someone say to their friend that Eliza was dating Sirius, he'd threatened the Ravenclaw so harshly that she burst into tears. He took to noticing their wanderings. Saw them in the library. Saw them walking outside. Was it true? Had she really started dating his brother?

Initially, he felt as though someone had torn at his heart with a knife. How could she do this to him!? She had already moved on? And with Sirius? He let the heartbreak go and embraced anger instead. It fueled him, kept him going. Kept him sane. Until the night one of his peers approached him in the Common Room.

"Do you think they're sleeping together yet?" He had smirked.

His fellow Slytherins had always tried to get a rise out of him when it came to Eliza. They had seen it first; the threat she posed to his assimilation with Lord Voldemort. He'd always let it roll off his back. But not that night. The thought of Sirius touching her the way he had. Seeing her only the way that he had.

No one made that mistake again. Not after Regulus had abandoned his wand and smashed the Slytherin's face in so bad Madam Pomfrey had to mend it.

His peers hadn't much to do with him after that. His primal display only endeared them to the thought that he would never be one of them after all. That a girl was more important than the world they were trying to create.

In bed at night, he would curse them in his mind. How dare they question his loyalty. Had they any idea what he had sacrificed? The future he'd let go of? The future he told himself every evening and every morning that he did not want. But every time he saw her, his heart clenched in his chest and the regrets took over.

It took him a long time to move past these regrets. To put them in the back of his mind. To banish them from his thoughts. But in the end, it was folly. In the end, his regrets would haunt him until his final moments.

—

Time was frozen. He stared up at her, not at the wand pointed at his chest, but at her face. She was still so beautiful. But her face was frozen in horror. Her face was pale and he thought she might vomit. He should stun her…but she'd disarmed him. He should rush her. Do something. She was his enemy.

But she's not your enemy, his traitorous heart whispered. She is the woman you love. She is the half of you that is missing.

Seeing her face again, after so long brought forth a hurricane of emotions he'd buried so deep and for so long he thought they no longer existed. But they did and his heart was pounding in his chest. His mouth was dry. They were surrounded in death and battle and all he could think about was rushing to her.

So weak. So weak, his mind said. After all these years, he was still as weak as a sixteen year old boy.

"Eliza!" The call of her name broke the trance and turned her attention to James. Sirius shot a spell at Regulus' partner and he flew back against the wall beside him.

"Eliza! What are you doing!?" Sirius came to her but he stopped short when he caught sight of his brother. Grey eyes met grey eyes.

An entire conversation played out in their eyes. Sirius' were filled with pain. Why? He seemed to be asking. But Regulus didn't have an answer. His mind was filled with the woman before him. She was like a blinding light he could not avoid. Sirius must have seen it. The pain, the regret, the agony of seeing her.

But the facts remained. He slouched there in his robes in a home they had attacked. He didn't take the life, but he didn't stop his partner from doing so. Every time it happened, it shot a jolt through his body. It made him feel sick, but he showed no weakness.

James came hurrying over and Regulus knew his time was up. He spared himself one last glance at Eliza, who looked like she might break down in tears at any second. It flooded Regulus with more emotion. She still loved him.

But one last glance was all he had before he grabbed his defeated partner and disappeared. His last vision of the house Eliza's glazed eyes and the heart-wrenching grief she'd never been able to hide.

—

Regulus' bedroom was slightly smaller than Sirius', though it had the same sense of former grandeur. Whereas Sirius had sought to advertise his difference from the rest of the family, Regulus had striven to emphasize the opposite. The Slytherin colors of emerald and silver were everywhere, draping the bed, the walls, and the windows. The Black family crest was painstakingly painted over the bed, along with its motto, TOUJOURS PUR. Beneath this was a collection of yellow newspaper cuttings, all stuck together to make a ragged collage. Hermione crossed the room to examine them.

"They're all about Voldemort," she said. "Regulus seems to have been a fan for a few years before he joined the Death Eaters. Hm…although he seems to be missing some dates right before his demise…"

A little puff of dust rose from the bedcovers as she sat down to read the clippings. Harry, meanwhile had noticed another photograph; a Hogwarts Quidditch team was smiling and waving out of the frame. He moved closer and saw the snakes emblazoned on their chests: Slytherins. Regulus was instantly recognizable as the boy sitting in the middle of the front row: Had had the same dark hair and slightly haughty look of his brother, though he was smaller, slighter and rather less handsome than Sirius had been.

"He played Seeker," said Harry.

"What?" Said Hermione vaguely; she was still immersed in Voldemort's press clippings.

"He's sitting in the middle of the front row, that's where the Seeker…Never mind," said Harry, realizing that nobody was listening: Ron was on his hands and knees, searching under the wardrobe. Harry looked around the room for likely hiding places and approached the desk. There was a picture frame there and Harry picked it up, wiping away the heavy layer of dust on the glass pane.

There were two people in this photograph. Harry recognized Regulus, but there was someone hugging him around the neck. It was a pretty girl, with curly blonde hair. She was smiling adoringly at Regulus before looking up at Harry and waving. Recognition tugged at his memory and he looked at the picture harder, taking in the copper-colored eyes of the girl.

He'd seen her before, in another photograph. The one Mad Eye had given him of the original Order of the Phoenix. Her name suddenly popped into his head. Eliza.

_"Eliza Adwell," Moody said, pointing to her smiling form in the picture. She was standing beside a tall male with blonde hair. "Incredibly gifted witch. She was a Healer; saved a lot of lives during her time in The Order."_

_Harry had frowned then, as he'd done every time Moody pointed out a life that had been snuffed out._

_"We've no idea what happened to her. She just disappeared one day. Left no message, no trail. We never found her, alive or dead. She's dead, I'm sure; very dedicated, would never have disappeared willingly; but we never found a body. Very unfortunate."_

Harry frowned at the picture of the younger Eliza, alternating between hugging Regulus fondly and waving. What was a dedicated member of The Order doing with Regulus Black? They appeared very close. The way she was looking at him…

Harry replaced the photograph and returned to searching the desk. It had been turned over recently as well, Harry noticed as he searched through the drawers, but there appeared to be nothing of value in them. One drawer caught his attention, however. While most of the drawers contained old quills and out-of-date textbooks, one drawer was filled with items.

A box of letters, all signed by Eliza. A glass statue of a snake. A chain bracelet with one charm attached, it being the same glass snake as the statue.

There was a book; _Mon Hero_. Harry had never heard of it but it didn't seem like a book Regulus Black would read. He picked it up, flipping through the pages. Writing caught his eye on the last page.

_Regulus,_

_A reminder for the dark days when the clouds are gray and the future seems hopeless. When you cannot see what tomorrow holds, one thing will always be certain: my love for you is as endless as the sighs I'm sure you gave reading this._

_With all my love,_

_Eliza_

They'd been in love. But Sirius had told him that Regulus had always dreamed of being a Death Eater. But then…Sirius also believed Regulus died a coward; yet here they were, searching Regulus' room for the horcrux.

Harry glanced back to the message Eliza had written in the book. It was dated the year Sirius told Harry that Regulus had joined the Death Eaters. Harry wondered whether Eliza had known. Had they continued dating? Had they split up? Harry's mind wondered over Regulus' life as he turned his attention back to trying to find the locket.

—

"You called the locket 'Master Regulus''," said Harry, looking down at Kreacher. "Why? Where did it come from? What did Regulus have to do with it? Kreacher, sit up and tell me everything you know about that locket, and everything Regulus had to do with it!"

The elf sat up, curled into a ball, placed his wet face between his knees, and began to rock backward and forward. When he spoke, his voice was muffled but quite distant in the silent, echoing kitchen.

"Master Sirius ran away, good riddance, for he was a bad boy and broke my Mistress's heart with his lawless ways. But Master Regulus had proper pride; he knew what was due to the name of Black and the dignity of his pure blood. For years he talked of the Dark Lord, who was going to bring the wizards out of hiding to rule the Muggles and the Muggle-borns…and when he was sixteen years old, Master Regulus joined the Dark Lord. So proud, so proud, so happy to serve…

"And one day, a year after he'd joined, Master Regulus came down to the kitchens to see Kreacher. Master Regulus always liked Kreacher. And Master Regulus said…he said…

The old elf rocked faster than ever.

"…he said that the Dark Lord required an elf."

"Voldemort needed an _elf_?" Harry repeated.

"Oh yes," moaned Kreacher. "And Master Regulus had volunteered Kreacher. It was an honor, said Master Regulus, an honor for him and for Kreacher, who must be sure to do whatever the Dark Lord ordered him to do…and then to c-come home."

Kreacher rocked still faster, his breath coming in sobs.

"So Kreacher went to the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord did not tell Kreacher what they were to do, but he took Kreacher with him to a cave beside the sea. And beyond the cave there was a cavern, and in the cavern was a great black lake…There was a boat…There was a b-basin full of potion on the island. The D-Dark Lord made Kreacher drink it…"

The elf quaked from head to foot.

"Kreacher drank, and as he drank, he saw terrible things…Kreacher's insides burned…Kreacher cried for Master Regulus to save him, he cried for his Mistress Black, but the Dark Lord only laughed…He made Kreacher drink all the potion. He dropped a locket into the empty basin…He filled it with more potion. And then the Dark Lord sailed away, leaving Kreacher on the island.

"Kreacher needed water, he crawled to the island's edge and he drank from the black lake…and hands, dead hands, came out of the water and dragged Kreacher under the surface…"

"How did you get away?" Harry asked.

"Master Regulus told Kreacher to come back."

"So what happened when you got back?" Harry asked. "What did Regulus say when you told him what had happened?"

"Master Regulus was worried, very worried," croaked Kreacher. "He took Kreacher to a Healer. She healed Kreacher and told him that Master Regulus had left and would return. When he did, Master Regulus took Kreacher aside, and Master Regulus was strange, disturbed in his mind, Kreacher could tell…and he asked Kreacher to take him to the cave where Kreacher had gone with the Dark Lord…Kreacher took him and the Healer to the cave…"

"Wait, why did you take the Healer?"

"She insisted on coming."

Hermione glanced to Harry. "Why would they take the Healer?"

Suddenly something clicked in Harry's mind and the picture of a girl with blonde hair popped into his mind. "Kreacher, was her name Eliza?"

Kreacher glanced to Harry with his aged eyes, as though gauging how he knew. He answered simply, "Yes."

"Who's Eliza?" Ron asked.

"She was a member of The Order," Harry said. "She was a Healer. Mad Eye told me she disappeared one day and they never discovered what happened to her."

"Why would Regulus take Kreacher to a member of The Order?" Hermione asked in surprise.

"Because they loved each other."

He glanced to Kreacher who made a single nod.

Kreacher explained that he had taken the Healer and the Death Eater to the cave. Harry could visualize them quite clearly, the frightened old elf, the thin, dark Seeker who had so resembled Sirius, the gifted witch who had seen what others hadn't…He could see them climb into the boat and sail to the island with its basin of potion…

"And he made you drink the potion?" Said Harry, disgusted.

But Kreacher shook his head and wept. Hermione's hands leapt to her mouth: She seemed to have understood something.

"M-Master Regulus took from his pocket a locket the Healer had purchased that looked like the one the Dark Lord had," said Kreacher, tears pouring down either side of his snoutlike nose. "And he told Kreacher to take it and, when the basin was empty, to switch the lockets…"

Kreacher's sobs came in great rasps now; Harry had to concentrate hard to understand him.

"And he ordered — Kreacher to take the Healer and — leave without him. And he told Kreacher — to go home — and never tell my Mistress — what he had done — but to destroy — the first locket. And he drank — all the potion — and…"

Kreacher trailed off, his chest heaving rapidly, his eyes focused on a scene that they could not see. But Harry could imagine it. He could almost see those pale, decayed hands emerge from the water and drag Regulus into its depths. But then…something was missing.

"But what happened to Eliza? Why didn't she return to The Order? Why didn't say anything about the locket?"

It didn't make sense. Eliza was, by all accounts, a bright and gifted witch. Why didn't she destroy the locket? Why didn't she inform The Order? Why had she gone missing?

Kreacher didn't answer at first as he tried to slow his breathing. The tears still ran down his ugly face. "Master…Regulus…hadn't, hadn't told her about the water…the hands… She stayed at his side…while Kreacher gave him the potion. Kreacher…Kreacher was a good elf… M-Master Regulus had told him…to take her with him… But she wouldn't come. She told Kreacher we…we had to take Master Regulus with us," Kreacher gave a moan. "M-Master…Master Regulus crawled to the water…but she was focused on Kreacher. Kreacher told her there were too many…that we couldn't fight them…but she didn't know what Kreacher was talking about…and then…then…"

Fresh tears fell from the elf's eyes.

"The hands came out of the water…they grabbed Master Regulus…The Healer t-tried to pull him away…but they-they kept coming… She tried to f-fight them…with great waves of f-flames but…Kreacher had t-told her…there were too many…The bodies were…were everywhere…and she…she looked at Kreacher and told him to destroy the locket…and Kreacher saw them…be dragged beneath the water…"

Kreacher was gasping for air, his little chest heaving as the grief poured from him. Mad Eye had been right; Eliza was dead. She'd died trying to bring down Voldemort…trying to save someone she loved. Her and Regulus…they'd died as heroes…and no one had ever known.

—

Despite the fact that Eliza's life was always in danger, she'd never really pictured her death. She supposed she'd hope it would be done with the killing curse. Quick. She definitely never pictured herself under the flailing dead limbs she found herself under now. At least she'd die with Regulus at her side.

She held him as tightly as she could but she could no longer see his face. She was not trained in legilimency or occulomency but she did know a spell. It was one Healers used for those in a manic state; to calm their minds. A calming scene in their mind to free them of any fear or pain. She gripped her wand and performed one last spell.

Eliza was no longer in the dark cave. She was sitting on a couch in homey living room. There was a glass of eggnog in her hands. She glanced beside her to find Regulus. His eyes were on the scene before him. They weren't alone. Sirius, James and Lily sat around a brightly decorated Christmas trees. Their attention was on two children surrounded in brightly wrapped paper that littered the floor.

There was a small girl with long, curly black hair that tumbled down her back. She jumped to her feet, item in hand and skipped over to Eliza and Regulus. Her copper-colored eyes were gleaming with mirth, a giant grin lighting up her face. She was holding a broom, slightly taller than her.

"Mummy! Mummy look!"

Eliza turned narrowed eyes on Sirius, who glanced up to the ceiling and scratched his cheek. "Sirius, I thought we discussed not getting her a broom until she was ten."

"But how will I have enough time to practice?" The girl asked, tilting her head.

Regulus was trying to look stern but his silver eyes were shining. "Did Uncle Sirius tell you to say that?"

"No!" The girl shouted too quickly with her eyes wide.

Regulus tried to hide a laugh and Eliza rolled her eyes.

"Can I go out and try it Mummy? Harry said he would show me what to do!"

Harry was still back by his wrappings, trying to covertly glance at the trio by the couch. He looked just like James. He of course had been flying practically before he could walk. He was a natural, just like James.

"Elladora, it's snowing outside," Eliza said.

Ella frowned, glancing sadly down at her feet.

"I'll take you out tomorrow if the weather is better," Regulus interjected. Ella's eyes lit back up and she jumped into Regulus' arms.

"Thank you, Daddy!" She squealed, planting a kiss on his cheek before dashing back to Harry so they could look over every inch of her present.

Eliza shot Regulus an amused look.

"What?" He asked innocently.

Eliza rolled her eyes.

The scene shifted and Eliza was giving her farewells at the door as Sirius and the Potters made their way into the snowy night.

"I can't believe you gave her a broom," Eliza said to Sirius, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Oh come on, you know she uses Harrys' anytime she's over," Sirius winked. Eliza huffed but smiled. Sirius smiled. "Let's face it, she takes after her fabulous uncle. She's going to wind up in Gryffindor."

"You keep talking like that and Regulus is going to have an aneurysm."

Sirius chuckled. "He should get used to the idea. Let's face it, in the end, he's not a far cry from a Gryffindor himself."

Eliza glanced over her shoulder to see Regulus on the couch tidying up the room with a flick of his wand. She smiled softly. "Yeah, that's the hero in him."

Sirius rolled his eyes and made a face before he gave a cheeky grin and a wave and disapparated.

Eliza returned to the warmth of her living room. She sat next to Regulus, who had pulled out a cauldron cake to enjoy.

"You know if you keep eating those, even I won't be able to unclog your arteries," she said, amused.

"You're the one who keeps giving them to me, _Healer_ Eliza," Regulus teased.

"Force of habit."

"Well…they are my favorite treat after all."

Eliza smiled softly, her eyes shining with love. She leaned over and planted a kiss on her husband's lips, tasting the hint of chocolate.

"My turn!" Ella suddenly announced, squirming between the pair before plopping herself on Eliza's lap. Eliza laughed, glancing down at her daughter who now had a book clutched to her chest.

"Mummy, can we read this tonight?" She asked, pushing the book into Eliza's hands.

Eliza glanced down and was surprised to find herself holding an old book; it's golden cover slightly faded with age. "_Mon Hero_?"

"It was on the bookshelf," Ella chirped.

Eliza smiled wistfully, running her fingers across the cover. "This is my favorite book."

Regulus' hand took Eliza's. "Mine too."

—


End file.
